WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants to help its allies across the Atlantic with an escalating migrant crisis but is unlikely to open America’s doors to vast numbers of Syrian and other refugees arriving in Europe.
The United States isn’t saying whether it will increase its worldwide quota for resettling refugees from 70,000. Only a fraction of those would be Syrians, who must first navigate a multiyear application process before learning if they can start a new life in the United States.
Secretary of State John Kerry plans to brief members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees on Wednesday about how many Syrian refugees the U.S. is willing to take in.
Still, a spokesman for the National Security Council said Monday the U.S. was “actively considering” steps to alleviate the situation in Europe.
