By dialing 1-800-232-0233 from any phone, people in search of a vaccine can opt to talk to a call center representative who can provide information about locations that offer the shots.
The new ceiling for refugee admissions will be 62,500 — far above former President Donald Trump’s cap of 15,000. Advocates had been concerned Biden was not moving fast enough on a campaign promise.
The travel ban is being imposed due to “extraordinarily high COVID-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in the India,” the White House says.
Joe Biden pledged on the campaign trail to restore asylum protections for domestic violence survivors from other countries. But 100 days into his presidency, that hasn’t happened.
The vaccine, which has not been authorized for use in the U.S., will be released once it clears safety reviews by the Food and Drug Administration. That could happen in the “coming weeks,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing.
“We enforce our nation’s laws while also maintaining the dignity of every individual with whom we interact,” Troy Miller, the top official at Customs and Border Protection, said in his memo.
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said President Biden would set an increased refugee cap by May 15. Earlier, the White House said it will keep the number of refugees capped at 15,000 for the fiscal year.
Biden said Thursday that the United States isn’t pushing for “a cycle of escalation and conflict” with Russia, but instead for both nations to manage tensions and work together when needed.
