WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – In September 2015, Obama announced his plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States before the end of the 2016 fiscal year.
"As of August 4, there have been nearly 8,000 — the exact figure is 7, 905 — Syrian refugees admitted,” Toner told reporters.
US officials have cited backlogs and staffing gaps as hindrances to resettlement, but the Obama administration has also faced resistance from Republican lawmakers over the security vetting process and possible impact of resettlement on US national security.
The ongoing war in Syria has displaced more than 11 million people, including 4.8 million who are in neighboring states such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
