I seem to remember Christian Church groups and some “compassionate conservatives” pushing the plan to bring this poisonous rabble into the US.
Lutheran’s, mostly.
The only year we dropped down to bringing only a few hundred (242) was in 2002. Do you know why? The whole refugee resettlement program came to a screeching halt after 9/11 (briefly!). Then it picked right up again the following year. To date George W. Bushs State Department brought higher annual numbers of Somalis then any President so far. In 2004 (12,814), 2005 (10,101) and 2006 (10,330).
In 2008, the numbers took another dip (to 2,523) when the State Department realized that the Somalis (and some other ethnic groups) had been lying about who their family members were for the purpose of reuniting the family (chain migration). The State Department estimated at the time that there could be tens of thousands of refugees who lied to get into the US.
Family reunification has only recently been re-opened and we have already brought over 2000 Somalis in FY 2013 (I directed readers to the stats in this post about how Denmark is considering sending Somalis back to the now safe Somalia). At that rate Obama could come close to Bushs numbers.