Syrian Refugees Present Unacceptable Risk for U.S.

My View by Jim Yacavone

Published Dec. 10, 2015

I wonder how those who support President Obama’s plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees feel now in light of the recent terror attack in San Bernadino, California, that left 14 dead and 17 injured? 

Obama assures us that we should not fear that Islamic terrorists intent on dealing death and destruction in the American homeland will slip into the United States among the refugees because the refugees will be thoroughly vetted. Persons opposing the plan have been branded as uncompassionate, alarmist and hateful Islamophobes.

Now we know that Tashfeen Malik, the female shooter in the San Bernadino massacre, underwent a similar vetting process by the State Department before she was allowed into this country from Pakistan to marry Syed Farook, the other shooter. Malik posted her allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi a short time before she helped slaughter innocent Americans at a workplace holiday celebration. It is the most serious terror attack on U.S. soil since 9-11

The State Department says its vetting process is just a rigorous as the one being used to vet the Syrian refugees. Are you feeling assured now?

So much for the idea that the vetting process will be able to identify Islamic terrorists among the refugees. Clearly, Obama is wrong, and we cannot place any reliance on the vetting process to exclude terrorists—which is exactly what the opponents of Obama’s plan and former government terror experts have been were saying all along. Obama supporters accused opponents of baseless fear-mongering. Oops.

Here are some other facts to consider. The administration has been telling us the vetting process is so thorough that it takes 18 to 24 months to complete for each refugee. Foolish me. I assumed this meant that a Syrian refugee would not be allowed into the United States until after he or she completed the process.

But that’s not the case. Syrian refugees are already arriving the U.S. which means one of two things. Either Obama is lying to us about the vetting process taking 18 to 24 months (more like 18 to 24 minutes if these refugees are considered vetted) or, more likely, that the refugees will be vetted after they enter the country. If it’s the latter, isn’t that like letting a stranger into your house and then asking to see his or her credentials?

It gets even worse. One of the first Syrian refugees to enter this country went missing for several days because no one at the federal level is keeping track of the refugees after they get here. Do you feel safe now?

Common sense tells you that it is impossible for U.S. officials to sufficiently vet the Syrian refugees to have any comfort level that ISIS inspired terrorists are not among the refugees we are letting into our country. Yet, Obama keeps telling us we have nothing to worry about. He’s either delusional or willing to say anything to get his way.

Those in favor of the refugee program argue that we should be compassionate. I am compassionate. I feel great compassion for the San Bernadino victims, and I will feel even greater compassion should any Americans be harmed at the hands of a terrorist imported through Obama’s reckless Syrian refugee plan.

Finally, the government tells us that the cost of the Syrian refugee resettlement program is $500 million. There are 50,000 homeless veterans in the United States. If the government has $500 million laying around, I’d rather the money be used to help them.

That’s my view, what’s yours?