U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today called on the Obama administration to lay out an effective plan for dealing with Syria and to do more to protect the United States from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, as he voted to ensure that refugees from Syria or Iraq would not be allowed into the United States until they have undergone a comprehensive, government-certified vetting process. Unfortunately, the legislation did not receive enough votes to pass.
"We should be tackling the roots of this problem: the lack of an effective strategy in Syria and in dealing with ISIL that has led to the current refugee crisis. Without a strategy, this threat will continue to grow," said Isakson. "These are challenging times. Swift and decisive action is overdue, and until we have a surefire strategy for keeping radical jihadists out of the United States, we cannot in good conscience continue to allow refugees from terrorist-infested countries such as Syria and Iraq."
Passed by the U.S. House, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act, H.R.4038, is designed to ensure that the United States' refugee process is not exploited by terrorists and foreign fighters while also facilitating the resettlement of individuals who are not a threat to the United States.
Specifically, the bill would require the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director to certify to Congress that each refugee poses no security threat to the United States. It would also require the same certification from the secretary of Homeland Security, along with the director of National Intelligence.
In September 2015, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned of the U.S. intelligence community's "huge concern" that ISIL might attempt to infiltrate Syrian refugee movements to enter Europe and possibly the United States. In October 2015, FBI Director James Comey cautioned about the U.S. government's limited ability to thoroughly vet all Syrian refugees for national security risk. Since 2012, the United States has reportedly admitted 1,854 Syrian refugees into the country.