'We Have Churches Lined up Ready to Serve': Christians Prep for New Refugee Arrivals

From Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe thousands of refugees are coming to America to escape persecution and oppression.

President Biden is set to quadruple the all-time low cap of 15,000 that had been put in place by President Trump.

Biden is allowing an additional 47,500 refugees into the country this year after pressure from critics, but his decision is welcome news to faith-based agencies working to resettle these vulnerable people.

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"We are supposed to serve the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, well, hey, we've got the opportunity right now," said Chris Palusky with Bethany Christian Services.

Palusky's group had to cut back on outreach and offices as refugee numbers dwindled under the Trump administration.

"{This} is sending the right message that you know what, the United States is open again for refugees," Palusky told CBN News.

The White House reversal comes after some intense backlash from some Congressional Democrats and human rights groups over the Biden administration's first announcement which had left the Trump ceiling of 15,000 refugees in place.

"President Biden said back in February that he planned to raise and lift the refugee cap," said Zeke Miller with the Associated Press. "His administration notified Congress of their intention to do that back in February, but they never did."

Biden called Monday's decision part of reasserting American leadership and American values.

"It is important to take this action today to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much, and who are anxiously waiting for their new lives to begin," the president said in a statement.

Palusky says churches have been preparing to welcome new refugees since the Biden administration took office. "As people of faith, as followers of Jesus, it's good news that we have churches lined up ready to serve vulnerable refugees."

Even with the previous ceiling of 15,000, only about 2,000 refugees had been allowed into the country as of March.

Palusky says the White House needs to move quickly to help those stuck in the pipeline right now.

"Many of these people who are waiting have family here in the United States, so you may have a wife or some children that are overseas ready to be reunited with their family here in the United States so it's essential that families are no longer separated," said Palusky.

Under the refugee program, thousands are expected to arrive from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe in the coming months. This, as the White House also plans to increase admissions to 125,000 the next fiscal year.