FRANKFORT, Ky. - Governor Andy Beshear told the Trump Administration that Kentucky plans to continue accepting refugees under the country’s immigration program.

Back in September, President Donald Trump told state and local governments that they have the power to opt out of the country’s refugee resettlement program. That order gave them 90 days to decide and Beshear wrote to the Secretary of State last week that Kentucky intends on remaining in the program.

Kentucky joins at least 24 reported states that have agreed to accept refugees next year. 

“Whether it’s Kentucky Refugee Ministries, or so many other programs that are out there, we provide resettlement in an amazing way, often times faith-driven. But what we have seen come out of it are benefits to our economy, additional diversity. I’m very comfortable with the national screening, that we are simply resettling wonderful families that are fleeing from violence, from murder, from war-torn countries. And I believe that we all have a duty to make sure that we can help in that effort,” Beshear said.

President Trump plans to cut the number of refugees the U.S. will accept in Fiscal Year 2020. The policy would only allow 18,000 refugees to come in, versus the 116,000 refugee limit President Barack Obama proposed in his final year in office.