CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Refugee Resettlement

Interview

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COSTELLO: Of course, that was kind of a loaded question pause you remember that emotional picture of the father holding his Syrian child dead in his arms after the child drowned while trying to escape Syria.

Here to talk about this and more, Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California.

Good morning.

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ (D), CALIFORNIA: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Americans are uneasy at the moment. Can the administration guarantee no terrorists will slip through the cracks?

SANCHEZ: Well, we can never guarantee anything to 100 percent. But I will tell you, sitting on the Homeland Security Committee and the Armed Services Committee, that both of those agencies do biometric searches, talk to other intel, take a look at families.

Seventy-five percent of the people who are trying or exiting are actually women and children. And I believe that we do a very thorough background investigation. And when we can't find the information we want, when there is a gap, we actually don't allow them in.

So, I just don't agree with Governor Christie that he -- that he doesn't trust this administration. First of all, this administration are civil servants, are people who do this regardless of who the president is.

COSTELLO: Well, Chris Christie isn't alone in his thoughts. Donald Trump sent out a tweet this morning saying quote, "refugees from Syria are now pouring into our great country. Who knows who they are? Some could be ISIS. Is our president insane?"

First of all, because, you know, I like facts, I want to present the big picture for my viewers. According to the U.S. State Department in fiscal 2013, only 36 refugees were allowed into the United States from Syria.

That said, President Obama is planning to allow 10,000 into the country next year. In light of what happened in Paris, should he do that? Or should the refugees coming from Syria be a trickle like it is now?

SANCHEZ: First of all, as you have noted this pouring in. They are not pouring in. There is a very extensive process by which refugees come into this country. In fact, usually, Congress has allotted a certain amount of slots and we never even get even through two-thirds of the way of the year and these types of refugees actually being allowed into the United States.

I happen to know a lot about refugees and resettlement into the United States because Orange County, California, where I represent, has always been a beacon of bringing people in, through our faith- based organizations and with our non-profits that are working there. So, I happen to know how difficult, arduous the project -- the program is in order for people to come in.

And let me tell you, taking 10,000 refugees. And I don't -- I don't even believe we have the process that will actually vet and bring 10,000 in. But that is a drop in the bucket compared to what we are seeing other countries like Germany and France and other European countries.

Remember that the very people who are leaving Syria are the strong ones, are the ones who have stayed on despite the fact that there would be a cafe bombing or a bus bombing. These are now people who are scared for their children's future because bombs are being dropped on them. Bombs are being dropped on them sometimes by us. Now by the Russians, by Assad, by ISIS.

They are just caught in the middle of what really is a nasty war.

COSTELLO: I do think -- I do think Americans understand that. But I think they are understandably concerned at this particular time in light of what happened in Paris.

I want you to listen to something Senator Cruz told Dana Bash about Syrian refugees. Let's listen.

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COSTELLO: All right. So, in other words, persecuted Christians and Jews should be allowed to come to the United States but not persecuted Muslims because it is too dangerous and they should be relocated in the Middle East where they are from.

[09:25:07] SANCHEZ: Well, first of all --

COSTELLO: Is that reasonable to you?

SANCHEZ: First of all, let's look at it from two angles. The first as Americans, that is a terrible thing to say that we will only allow Jews and Christians into our country and not Muslims. That is so un-American. I don't want to even spend more time on it.

But the second issue, that somehow these people should be resettled in Middle Eastern countries, well, what do you think is happening in Turkey? What do you think Jordan has absorbed in this? Lebanon, which is already been unstable, and yet they are taking these refugees. Or the northern portion of Iraq where there still is so much civil war and where these really the brunt of attack of ISIS has come.

So, there have been plenty of Middle Eastern countries who have taken these people in, whether they wanted to or whether they just flood into their country. So, these people are escaping something that is going on that is so terrible. It's mostly women and children. If they are to come to the United States, there is an extensive process and if we don't have -- if we're comfortable with the information, the intel, that we have on these people, they simply do not get into our country.

COSTELLO: All right. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California -- thanks so much.

SANCHEZ: Thank you.

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