The House voted to tighten the screening procedures for Syrian refugees entering the nation for resettlement despite the objection of US President Barrack Obama. Behind the scenes, Republicans are preparing several bills that are more drastic, aiming to close American borders to asylum seekers. These concerns stem from the fact that our intelligence and security leaders can not say with absolute certainty that an individual entering our country under refugee status poses no threat to our national security.
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The vice president noted as well that “refugees face the most rigorous screening of anyone who comes to the United States”, and that now there is additional screening for those coming from Syria.
In Walker’s letter to Kerry and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which controls refugee resettlement, he said, “I take seriously my obligation to ensure the safety and protection of the citizens of this state”.
Senators supporting the bill are likely to try to tack the measure as a rider to the government spending bill Congress will address in December. The risk is if Democrats reject it, it may provoke a government shut down. Forty seven Democrats voted in favor, while 135 voted “no” and six did not vote. As of Monday, the letter had dozens of lawmakers’ signatures.
“And unlike in Europe, refugees don’t set foot in the United States until they are thoroughly vetted”, he said. Neither you nor any federal official can guarantee that Syrian refugees will not be part of any terroristic activity. Florida Republicans Tom Rooney and Curt Clawson have anti-refugee bills of their own.
The vote was 289-137, enough to override a threatened White House veto of the legislation, which was hurriedly drafted under new House Speaker Paul Ryan in response to the carnage in the streets of Paris.
Capps agreed with President Obama, who has stated he will veto the measure if it passes the Senate, that blocking refugees betrays American values. The added level of security does not diminish our commitment to helping the innocent men, women and children fleeing the grips of Islamic State militants or the Assad regime, rather it strengthens our defense and will enable us to move forward through a safer and more secure process to relocate refugees.
Not all Republicans want to put up roadblocks against refugees, but the leadership is on board and the presidential candidates are amplifying the anti-refugee message.
The administration has found a few unlikely allies. Obama has argued against the critics of his plan, arguing that refugees are the victims of terrorism.
“Come on, this is America”. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards. We have a long history of accepting refugees and people fleeing oppression and violence, but we also have an obligation to protect the American people. But recent polls show that most Americans are leaning toward the Republican way of thinking.
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More than 4 million Syrians are seeking refuge outside their drought-stricken and war-torn country, but the USA may not be among their new homes.
