(JTA) — The United States will cut the number of refugees that it will accept for 2019 to the lowest level set since the Refugee Act became law in 1980, drawing condemnation from Jewish groups.

On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that up to 30,000 refugees will be resettled in the United States next year under the new refugee ceiling, down from 45,000 this year.

Global humanitarian groups have called the 2018 ceiling of 45,000 too low. Since 1980, the average annual ceiling has been set at 96,229 refugees.

In addition,…