News: Obama still plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees

jonasha

Obama still plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees despite Paris terrorist attacks

Quote:

The White House says it won’t let its plans to bring Syrian refugees to the U.S. be derailed by Friday’s terrorist attack in Paris, with a top official insisting Sunday that American authorities know how to weed out potential problems within the refugee community.

French President Francois Hollande has called the attacks, which killed at least 129 people and wounded more than 350 others, an act of war, and began retaliatory strikes on Islamic State strongholds in Raqqa, Syria.

Mr. Obama was in Turkey for a meeting of the Group of 20 nations, where the attacks were the top order of business.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the administration has a complete plan to both contain the Islamic State overseas and keep its recruited fighters out of the U.S. in a way that France was unable to.

But top members of Congress are skeptical of those plans, pointing to “gaping holes” in American defenses, and said even top Homeland Security officials have admitted the U.S. does not have access to the kinds of records and databases in the Middle East that would make sure immigration officers could screen out terrorists.

Refugees are the most pointed issue, but far from the only one, for American policymakers grappling with Friday’s devastating terrorist attack in Paris and its implications here at home.

Republican presidential candidates over the weekend demanded President Obama come up with a war plan to confront the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee went the furthest, saying the U.S. should refuse entry to anyone from a country where al Qaeda and the Islamic State have a significant presence.

Democratic presidential hopefuls, meanwhile, struggled with the issue over the weekend, trying to navigate between supporting Mr. Obama’s hazy strategy and coming up with their own ways of promising action on what’s become a global threat.

Officials said two of the attackers in Paris are now believed to have gained entry to Europe through a wave of refugees fleeing Syria. One of them appears to have come as part of a refugee surge in October in Greece, where he had no identification and was issued a Syrian passport, which he then used to travel through Europe, reaching France.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees are making similar journeys, overwhelming immigration officials tasked with screening them.

But Mr. Rhodes, speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” insisted Mr. Obama is sticking by his promise that the U.S. will take some 10,000 refugees in 2016, and even more in 2017.

“We have very robust vetting procedures for those refugees. It involves our intelligence community, our national counterterrorism center, extensive interviews, vetting them against all the available information,” Mr. Rhodes said.

The Obama administration assurances rang hollow on Capitol Hill, where the president has repeatedly underestimated the reach and desire of the Islamic State. He famously called it the “JV” team of terrorists just as it was beginning to advance in the Middle East, gaining a huge amount of territory and declaring a caliphate. And last week he said the movement was “contained” — just ahead of the Paris attack.

Members of Congress said Mr. Rhodes was dead wrong, and pointed to fears among Homeland Security officials who say they don’t, in fact, have access to the kinds of checks back in Syria that would allow them to vet would-be refugees.

Without access to those databases, and without people on the ground who can walk neighborhoods and verify details, there is no way to back-check a refugee’s story to see whether he is who he says he is. That puts enormous pressure on the in-person interview, conducted by Homeland Security officers.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ian-refugees-/

Welp

Another issue that's going to divide America.

B'Day

Satan

Obama you're gonna miss him when he's gone

LoKoPaNdA

Obama is simply one of the best presidents ever. So sad his term has to come to an end

I hope those refugees find support and safety in America

DancingShoes

I'm actually gonna cry because this makes me so happy

Artemis

I don't agree with this I do feel for the Syrian Refugees and yes it's important to support them. However, I honestly see this creating more issues for the U.S. what if one of these "Refugees" ends up being apart of ISIS? I know many I'll be called out but I'm honestly quite progressive but I think it's important as an American to protect us before others.

RihRihGirrrl

Good! This refugee crisis is partly America's fault it would be immoral and a slap to the face of their European allies NOT to take their fair share of refugees. The U.S has tighter security and a much better screening process then the Europeans because they don't have to deal with an overflow of refugees being smuggled through their borders. I'm confident they can handle 10 thousand more refugees and I'm also sure they will be sure to track these refugees after accepting them. My guess is, there will be limitations as to where these refugees can flow once they are designated to a certain state. They will probably be prohibited from traveling across states for a while.

Archetype

The needs of these 10,000 people are more important than the ignorant demands and opinions of those who only care for themselves. These people left everything they have ever had, including money, a home, family lineage, memories, personal possessions, and jobs, to begin in a new life in hopes that their children will be able to enjoy the fundamental joys of life, such as walking to school without being bombed, or raising a family without having your children abducted and raped by ISIS. Thank you Mr. Obama and supporters for protecting humanity.

Quote:

Originally posted by Artemis

I don't agree with this I do feel for the Syrian Refugees and yes it's important to support them. However, I honestly see this creating more issues for the U.S. what if one of these "Refugees" ends up being apart of ISIS? I know many I'll be called out but I'm honestly quite progressive but I think it's important as an American to protect us before others.

You have a completely valid opinion, as the chance of 1/10,000 refugees being a terrorist is not unlikely. However, does the fear of letting one terrorist in our country overpower our duty to protect the staggering 10,000 who only wish to live peacefully? I don't think there is a factually correct or incorrect answer to the question. I do, however, hope that Americans treat these people well, and welcome them.

musicgirl224

Quote:

Originally posted by Artemis

I don't agree with this I do feel for the Syrian Refugees and yes it's important to support them. However, I honestly see this creating more issues for the U.S. what if one of these "Refugees" ends up being apart of ISIS? I know many I'll be called out but I'm honestly quite progressive but I think it's important as an American to protect us before others.

Sadly, I too agree with this.

BlueTimberwolf

Quote:

Originally posted by RihRihGirrrl

Good! This refugee crisis is partly America's fault it would be immoral and a slap to the face of their European allies NOT to take their fair share of refugees. The U.S has tighter security and a much better screening process then the Europeans because they don't have to deal with an overflow of refugees being smuggled through their borders. I'm confident they can handle 10 thousand more refugees and I'm also sure they will be sure to track these refugees after accepting them. My guess is, there will be limitations as to where these refugees can flow once they are designated to a certain state. They will probably be prohibited from traveling across states for a while.

U.S has tighter security and a much better screening process = several govt sources say our current system is inadequate

I'm also sure they will be sure to track these refugees after accepting them = we can't even track people on student visas

My guess is, there will be limitations as to where these refugees can flow once they are designated to a certain state. = this is literally impossible to do

Chemist

10k is still a laughable amount

BlueTimberwolf

Quote:

Originally posted by Chemist

10k is still a laughable amount

The US already accepts tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of refugees each year on top of this

Marvin

They should not accept anyone until they have a proper screening method in place.

RihRihGirrrl

The issue with Europe was that there was absolutely NO vetting process when accepting refugees. The US will be able to accept these refugees in a much more controlled manner while conducting an extensive interview process with trained counter terrorism experts.

RihRihGirrrl

Quote:

Originally posted by Marvin

They should not accept anyone until they have a proper screening method in place.

That's the goal and it has been said by the administration over and over. They plan on conducting extensive interviews with these refugees and using counter terrorism agents as well as the CIA to vet the refugees. Not to mention, there will be a tracking method after the fact.

seanoh

This makes me so happy. However, I'm scared for the refugees that do come in case a Republican wins the elections next year and implements a plan to send them back.

And before people blame the refugees on the Paris attacks, two of them were French nationals.

Icarus

Quote:

Originally posted by Marvin

They should not accept anyone until they have a proper screening method in place.

!!!!!

Alpha

Quote:

Originally posted by Chemist

10k is still a laughable amount

mte
germany alone takes up to a million this year alone

Outlaws

Duh. There's no reason to not do it, that's why they're refugees.

memi stan

The bolded parts scare me. It seems we don't have the ability to truely screen for terrorist. If homeland thinks it's risky I don't think Obama is making a wise decision.