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Pew: DC Accepted 10 Refugees At Most In 2016

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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A recent Pew Research study released this week found that Washington D.C., among others, took in no more than 10 refugees for fiscal year 2016.

The information from Pew became available as President Barack Obama increased the maximum number of refugees allowed into the U.S. to 85,000, “which was 15,000 more than in fiscal 2015,” noted Pew.

According to Pew, 10 states resettled more than half of the recent refugees. California, Texas and New York topped the list resettling the most refugees, taking in a sum total of 20,738 (24 percent), in fiscal year 2016.

Rounding out the list, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, North Carolina, Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois, each resettled 3,000 or more refugees. Generally, 54 percent of refugees allowed to the U.S. in 2016 were resettled in one of the 10 states.

However, other states took in fewer than ten or no refugees at all. These include Washington, D.C., Arkansas and Wyoming. Delaware and Hawaii also resettled no refugees for fiscal year 2016.

While the most populated states resettled the most refugees, on a per capita basis, less populated states resettled more refugees than their larger counterparts.

Related: Somalis Now Entering United States At Highest Rate Ever

According to Pew, “In fiscal 2016, Nebraska (76), North Dakota (71) and Idaho (69) resettled the most refugees per 100,000 residents. Other states like Vermont (62), Arizona (60) and Kentucky (54) far exceeded the U.S. national average of 26 refugees per 100,000 residents.”

Vermont may also accept 100 Syrian refugees over the course of next year, one NBC affiliate noted.

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