Islamic Extremists Have Looked At Using Refugee Program To Get Into The United States, Intelligence Officials Tell Homeland Security Committee Of New Claims
Members of the intelligence community have come forward with the fact that Islamic extremists have looked into coming into the United States through the refugee program. This information was told to the Homeland Security Committee. A classified document from the National Counterterrorism Center was revealed by Representative Michael McCaul of Texas. The document discloses a fact that the Obama administration has been saying is not possible.
Discussing #homelandsecurity #foreignfighters and #ISIS in wake of #ParisAttacks @ClementsCenter pic.twitter.com/PnvSxmzbeA
— Michael McCaul (@RepMcCaul) November 20, 2015
Many republicans and national security experts have been warning that Islamic extremists could try and exploit the refugee crisis and use it as a way to get into the United States. President Obama and members of his administration have been adamant in saying that the vetting process used for any refugees coming in from the Syrian region will make it impossible for a terrorist to come into the United States as a refugee. It is coming to light that the government vetting process is not perfect. Tashfeen Malik, the Muslim woman who took part in killing 14 people in San Bernardino, was vetted by the Department Of Homeland Security before she was granted her visa to come to the United States. Experts have said that the vetting process for a refugee is not as thorough as the one that Malik went through.
The letter drafted by the National Counterterrorism Center states that they have identified “individuals with ties to terrorist groups in Syria attempting to gain entry to the U.S. through the U.S. refugee program.” A statement from the classified document went further.
“The refugee system, like all immigration programs, is vulnerable to exploitation from extremist groups seeking to send operatives to the West.”
Representative McCaul spoke about this information at a speech he was giving at the National Defense University. McCaul said, “That was very courageous for them to come forward with this, to tell me about this personally, given the political debate on the Hill.” The White House did not give a comment on whether McCaul’s information was right or not. White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, defended the refugee vetting process.
“Those individuals who seek to enter the United States through the refugee resettlement program do so only after undergoing the most intensive screening of anybody who attempts to enter the United States.”
Concerns that Islamic extremists could enter the United States through the refugee program has been a major issue since the attacks on Paris. When it was revealed that the attackers in San Bernardino were Muslim and had ties to ISIS, Americans began to really push back against Syrian refugees from coming here. Over 30 governors have publically stated that they do not want Syrian refugees in their state even though President Obama has said that the United States will be taking in 10,000 Syrians next year. Last night, President Obama spoke to the nation to quell some of the fears that Americans have about Islamic extremists coming to the United States.
“The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Our success won’t depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values, or giving into fear. Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power.”
Representative McCaul spoke about what the Congress would be looking at moving forward.
“This is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we will introduce a slate of new bills based on the findings of the [bipartisan congressional] task force to keep terrorists from crossing our borders.”
Do you think that Islamic extremists are looking to exploit the refugee crisis in order to get inside the United States?
[Image Via AP Photo/Rachel La Corte]
