Ben Carson visits Syrian refugees in Jordan camp

Carson’s trip Saturday comes after he made comments supporting background checks on refugees trying to come into the United States. Some are giving up hope that they will ever be able to return to the country.

“Dr Carson and a small group are in Jordan”, a campaign official said on Friday.

“The United States must do more“, Carson stated about his trip to Jordan.

Carson spoke with Syrian refugees and officials during visits to several medical facilities, adding that he was delighted to learn about the humanitarian efforts by other countries to help assist the suffering refugees.

He also expressed his belief that the United States could, and should, do more to help those who are on the front lines of this humanitarian disaster.

An aid appeal of $4.5 billion for refugees in host countries in 2015 is only about half funded.

President Barack Obama has said the USA will take in 10,000 refugees, a fraction of the hundreds of thousands who reached Europe this year. “They want to go back to their lives”, Carson said in a campaign email, calling to action to his fellow Americans.

Around 4 million displaced Syrians are now living in overwhelmed United Nations camps in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

Carson has promised to offer real solutions to these problems in the coming days, problems which he believes were created in part by the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton.

The candidate has repeatedly struggled to discuss worldwide affairs as they become a greater focus in the 2016 presidential contest.

“For Carson, it gives him a lot of difficulty”, said Andy Smith, the director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

After comparing Syrian refugees to rabid dogs just a week ago, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson – a neurosurgeon turned conservative Christian evangelist – significantly softened his tone Saturday after meeting with refugees in Jordan.

Syrian refugees are largely barred from working legally and have to resort to informal, low-paying jobs if they can find employment at all.

“For instance if there’s a rabid dog running around the neighborhood, probably not going to assume something good about that dog and you’re going to want to put your children away”, Carson said in response to an ABC News question regarding whether Christian organizations should be helping refugees.