While over 4 million refugees have fled Syria due to the ongoing civil war and the rise of the IS, also called ISIS or ISIL, many politicians and presidential candidates have argued that allowing Syrian refugees to enter the US will make the American public more susceptible to terrorist attacks from extremists who have infiltrated the resettlement system.
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Albright called recent legislative proposals barring refugees from entering the country “deeply disturbing”. The Washington Post, citing a State Department spokesman, reported that “only about a dozen” of the almost 785,000 refugees admitted to the USA since the September 2011 attacks have been arrested or deported for preexisting links to terrorism.
Gov. Bobby Jindal and other governors said they continue to oppose resettling Syrian refugees in their states, despite repeated assurances from the Obama administration that the resettlement program can be trusted. In OH, only 85 Syrians have been placed, including 54 refugees in Toledo, 15 in Cleveland, a family of nine in Cincinnati and seven in Columbus.
These programs are certain to remain under heavy scrutiny by Congress in the coming weeks as lawmakers debate which poses the greatest security threat and to what degree the United States should help refugees seeking to escape the fighting in their homelands.
“Federal law enforcement resources are already stretched to the limit investigating hundreds of suspected terrorists or sympathizers in every state in the union”. A supervisor reviews decisions to accept or reject the applicant.
“It’s basically bringing the refugee process to a halt”, he said. Finally, the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services determine the appropriate city where a refugee will be resettled. They must be referred to the U.S.by the United Nations. “The law requires the applicant to provide information that establishes their identity and allows us to assess whether they present a security risk to the country”.
Lance Trover, director of communications for Rauner, said that the governor spoke with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., plan to introduce legislation that would end visa waivers for people who have traveled to Iraq and Syria in the last five years. Sen.
“We would be willing to do our share”, Duggan told reporters Monday in a call hosted by the White House.
Referring to Comey’s comments, Myorkas suggested Comey referred to having different amounts of information on different nationalities, and said that the State Department of Homeland Security adds checks and upgrades information to address those situations. “What is clear is that there can be no discrimination on the basis of religion, ethnicity or any other factor when it comes to resettlement of refugees”.
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“The truth of the matter is, there is no effective means or magical litmus test to assess prospective terrorists hidden among the throngs of refugees applying for entry into the United States”, Nathan Catura said.
