Should the US take in Syrian refugees?

A debate brewing in Washington over the United States refugee program came to a head Thursday as the House of Representatives voted for stricter requirements for some refugees who attempt to enter the country.

The letter reassured states, as President Obama has been trying to do nearly daily, that refugees are subject to a thorough screening process before they enter the country.

The Obama administration says all refugees applying for asylum in the United States “undergo a rigorous security screening involving multiple federal intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies”, while Syrians in particular go through an “additional layer” of screening tailored to the “particular conditions of the Syrian crisis” – a layer of which details are classified. “The threat of terrorism is real and we need to be both tough and smart on homeland security”, Rochester said in a written statement.

Simon Henshaw, principal deputy assistant secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, said at a November 19 media briefing that the USA resettled 1,682 Syrian refuges in year ending September 30. The letter, which came from the office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) stated that state resettlement officials must not deny services and benefits to refugees (who meet eligibility requirements) based on their religion or country of origin and failure to do so could result in enforcement action which could either be suspension or termination.

“It’s our responsibility, for me as governor of the state of Texas and for all leaders in this nation, to ensure that we put national security and the security of our fellow Americans first”, he added. USA policy calls for accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year; since the start of 2014, Texas has accepted 224 Syrian refugees. Reigle said he would have supported legislation last week to further restrict refugee resettlements.

Christopher Roederer, a professor of law and director of global programs at the Florida Coastal School of Law, says governors have no authority to refuse the entry of anyone into their states.

Egypt, which accepted 127,000 of the 4.2 million Syrian refugees, also appears to be getting cold feet about accepting more.

USA immigration system critic Julie Axelrod, director of investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, said the onus should be on other Arab nations to do more for the refugees.

“It is the most robust screening process for any category of individuals seeking admissions into the United States, and it is only after admission that ORR and our partners in resettlement begin our work”, the letter promised.

Quoting from the Refugee Act of 1980, Carey said that the states are required to provide “assistance and services…” No one has committed more sins of omission, no one has so ruthlessly sacrificed the well-being of Syria’s people for his own ends, as the man in the White House.