Refugee Security Vetting Process

But objection to accepting Syrian refugees is divided into three parts: fear, politics and prudence.

Perhaps the greatest question on the minds of Americans after the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris is whether or not the United States should accept the Syrian refugees fleeing war in their home country. Last week, lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would suspend the program allowing Syrian and Iraqi refugees from entering the country until more a stringent screening process can be implemented.

“There’s much higher scrutiny associated with refugees than from someone applying for a student visa or other non-immigrant visa to the United States”, Hurd said. They are referred to what’s called the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

Hurd said he understands the concern for the safety and security of the United States but said Syrian refugees fleeing by boat and walking miles through countryside are not the terrorists. “With every refugee application, the burden of proof is on the applicant-the refugee must show that he or she qualifies for refugee status”. “It’s something that we’ve been doing forever and we’re going to continue to collaborate and cooperate with the federal government on that”.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports they say that the governor didn’t have the authority to block refugees and that even if he did, it would run counter to everything the city stands for. The governors cited security concerns on the possibility of terrorists slipping into the US using the refugee program. They conduct criminal and medical background checks well before the refugee sets foot in America.

Myth: 250,000 Syrians are arriving in the United States imminently.

The Obama administration has stuck to its plan to resettle at least 10,000 refugees from the Syrian civil war.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement warned that states denying services and benefits to Syrian refugees would be in violation of federal law.

But the Obama administration has expressed confidence in the country’s process with the President going as far as criticizing opponents of being scared of “widows and orphans”.

World Vision has recommended Congress move quickly to fund critical humanitarian relief accounts including Migration and Refugee Assistance, International Disaster Assistance and Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance which would cost about $5 billion for 2016.

“Today’s briefing was a chance for governors to hear directly from those responsible for the processing of refugees and the security of our nation”.

Above and beyond this, there were attacks by Islamic splinter groups stretching from the Philippines and Indonesia to the U.S. The Chattanooga military recruitment office shooting was perpetrated by Muhammad Abdulazeez who was from Jordan but was a self-described Palestinian refugee.

According to the White House graphic, if and when refugees are cleared to come to the US, they are required to apply for a green card within a year – which leads to a new cycle of vetting.