WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will vote Thursday on a bill aimed at boosting screening of Syrian and Iraqi refugees before they enter the United States. President Barack Obama, who wants to allow 10,000 more Syrians into the U.S. this year, has threatened to veto it.
Some details on the current screening process:
—Obama administration officials say current screening of Syrians is more rigorous than for any other set of travelers.
—The checks are conducted by multiple federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies and include an interview overseas, biometrics, fingerprinting and biographical investigations to determine if individuals meet the standards for refugee status or if they pose security risks. Syrians are subject to additional, classified controls.
—The Homeland Security Department makes the final decision on whether a refugee is accepted.
—The current acceptance rate for Syrians is around 50 percent. The other half includes denials and cases pending further investigation.
—Of the roughly 2,500 Syrians the U.S. has taken in since the civil war erupted in that country in the spring of 2011, about half are children. Only about 2 percent are single men of combat age. The overall pool is almost evenly split between males and females.
The House bill would:
—Institute a new requirement for the FBI to conduct a “thorough background investigation” of Syrians and Iraqis seeking entrance to the U.S. as refugees.
—Require the Homeland Security secretary, with the “unanimous concurrence” of the head of the FBI and of the Director of National Intelligence, to certify to congressional committees that the person does not pose a security threat.
—Require monthly reports to Congress by the Homeland Security secretary about how many certifications have been made.
—Require annual risk-based reviews by the inspector general of the Homeland Security Department of all certifications made, and a report to Congress.
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Hmm - there’s something about that list … Ah, got it now: the items to be added sure look exactly like what wold come right to the floor of the House directly after being factory-produced & custom-modified in the DHS-bothering fevered imagination of a majority party caucus, fixin’ on usin’ 'em to hound and remove from the next POTUS (WHO EVER SHE might turn out to be) an entire section of the administration’s current Constitutionally-assigned duties, including impinging critically on powers the executive branch needs to deal even with existing issues involving some 11 to 13 million non-citizen residents.
I have in my mind’s eye two conflicting pictures of a middle-aged black-haired demagogue wagging his billionaire-Superpac-charged finger and making highly unpleasant screeching sounds in a manner that, had he now in full shivering glory the gigantic jowls the future omnipresence of which is already being hinted at beneath the mild sheen upon that smooth white pampered butt-face, would cause any nation come together to tear itself asunder, one standing while waving it about a mostly-empty plenary chamber of the U.S. Senate, the other distracting us all from the dead fisheyes of the speaker seated behind the desk featured in the Oval Office, the first working up apocalyptic epithet-IEDs in citing the Constitution as DEMANDING these powers as the birthright of Congress, the second playing with the launch codes on the nuclear fuhbow while citing the Constitution to deny the very same powers to Congress as necessary to the preservation of the Union.
so the only thing missing is adding congressional involvement to the process. because we all know how that branch of government is entirely professional and would never use it as an opportunity for grandstanding.
The terrorists were French citizens not Syrians. Most of the 911 hijackers were Saudis and we didn’t start deporting Saudis or stop doing business with them. These fucking people are disgusting. I heard about the process refugees go through and it takes 12 to 18 months and it is rigorous. Not everyone makes it. Terrorists wouldn’t be risking their lives to come here on inflatable boats whent hey can get fake passports and travel. This is all so disgusting I am reading to stop listening.
The Repubs always use the term, ‘smaller government’ I do not think that it means what they think it means.
And, for some reason they grow government in order to shrink it. It’s a Republican thing.
Why in hell should I want this congress of hormonal challenged pubescents involved in anything that real adults are already managing quite well?
Election year politics at its most vile.