The USA will accept 85,000 people in 2016 and 100,000 in 2017, mostly Syrian refugees.
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“It is against the values of our nation and the values of a free society to give terrorists the opening they are looking for” by not tightening entry restrictions, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, who said citizens in those countries who go to Syria to fight for ISIS could then make their way to the U.S.
“Even amongst the most pro-immigration wings of the Republican Party there is a sense that national security absolutely has to come first”, Republican Rep. Mick Mulvaney of SC said after leaving Tuesday’s GOP meeting. In Asia, President Obama stated Republican warnings concerning the current vetting system for refugees – a process in that may take as much as two years of time of time – “doesn’t jibe with reality.”We already have in place the most vigorous vetting process in that we have for anybody who is admitted”, he stated in Manila, Philippines, where he’s attending an economic summit”.
Obama administration officials insist the vetting is good and there’s no need to back down from the goal of admitting 10,000 more refugees this year.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group, called the governors’ comments and recommendations “un-American”, adding that rejecting refugees projects “our fears to the world”.
The Wisconsin Republican’s description of the legislation contrasted with remarks by a few GOP presidential candidates. Many of them are considering pushing the issue in a massive spending bill due by December 11 – a measure that if vetoed would lead to a government shutdown.
“We don’t have enough Democrats willing to protect American lives to override the veto”, said Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. Dianne Feinstein and Republican Sen.
Texas Republican Rep. Brian Babin drafted a letter signed by 56 other House GOP members urging Ryan to include language in that bill to block all taxpayer money for the program that would allow any refugees from Syria, the Middle East and North Africa until a series of conditions are met, including sign off from national security agencies.
Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, top Democrat on the Homeland Security panel, and other Democrats were proposing an alternative blocking admission for any refugees the government finds have not fully established their identity. Obama said he’s been waiting for a year and a half for lawmakers to take up refugee legislation, questioning why they are now suddenly in a rush.
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“There are so many amendments – Planned Parenthood topped the list before the Syrian issue – that the omnibus budget bill could stall after Congress returns from its Thanksgiving break”, said Greg Valliere, the chief global strategist at Horizon Investments.
