In wake of Paris attacks, House voting to tighten controls on visa-free travel to US
Invoking the Paris terror attacks, House lawmakers pushed toward a vote Tuesday on legislation tightening controls on travel to the U.S. and requiring visas for anyone who’s been in Iraq or Syria in the previous five years. The bill, which is backed by the White House and expected to be overwhelmingly approved, takes aim at the “visa waiver” program, which allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. without first obtaining a visa. Belgium and France, home to most of the perpetrators of the Paris attacks, are among the participating countries. The legislation would institute a series of changes, including the new visa requirement for citizens of Iraq, Syria and other countries that are home to extremist groups or anyone who’s traveled to those countries in the previous five years. Countries in the visa waiver program would also be required to share information on extremists with the U.S. and face expulsion from the program if they don’t. “You have more than 5,000 individuals that have Western passports in this program that have gone to Iraq or Syria in the last five years,” said Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. “Those are gaps that we need to fix.” The legislation may end up attached to a sweeping year-end spending bill now being finalized on Capitol Hill. Separately some lawmakers are also talking about looking at the fiancé visa program utilized by the shooters in San Bernardino, California. That program is already being reviewed by the Homeland Security Department. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama lawmakers want Syrian refugee program halted
In the face of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, Alabama lawmakers are taking a stand against continued Syrian refugee immigration to the United States fearing a similar terrorist plot in the U.S. Reports claim at least one of the terrorists involved in the Paris attacks had slipped into the country with refugees fleeing the chaos in Syria. France has already shut its borders after terrorists killed at least 129 people on Friday, and several other countries in the European Union are reassessing their immigration protocols. Meanwhile, a daily flow of refugees fleeing a civil war in Syria continues. According to the United Nations, the civil war has displaced more than four million people since 2011 with refugees fleeing to neighboring Middle Eastern countries and Europe. Since the war’s inception, the United States has taken in 2,187 of the refugees and President Barack Obama has announced plans to take in an additional 10,000 in the next 12 months. The U.S. State Department said the refugees would be spread across the country. In the last calendar year, 1,928 Syrians relocated to the United States. While none settled in Alabama according to the Refugee Processing Center, 104 settled in Florida, 59 in Georgia and another 35 in Tennessee. Here’s what Alabama lawmakers have to say about taking in additional Syrian refugees: U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-01): We have no greater responsibility as a federal government than to ensure the safety and security of the American people. It is clearly in the best interest of the American people to halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program. U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02): As many as 10,000 Syrian refugees are reportedly about to start showing up in the United States in 2016 per President Obama’s directive. Are we really this naive? At least one of the Paris attackers came into that country via similar means, and ISIS has said they would actively try to game the refugee resettlement process to infiltrate western countries. This is not about keeping Syrians out of our state or even our country. We all hate what these people are going through and want to help them how we can. But amid the direct security threat facing our country from radical Islamic terrorism, we simply cannot risk our security by allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to resettle here, especially without a robust screening and security process in place. That’s just common sense, and I fear our president is too blinded by his worldview to see it. Returning to Washington this week I will be speaking out about this and getting answers on behalf of the people I represent. U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03): I am very concerned about President Obama’s plan. Bringing any Syrian refugees to the United States could potentially put Americans and our homeland in serious danger. The Paris attacks suggest that ISIL is using the refugee situation as an opportunity to move around locations to spread terror. I am not willing to put compassion over our national security in this instance. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04): Reports in the media indicate that at least one of the bombers in France was a recently admitted refugee. I am very concerned about whether our Administration has plans to seriously vet this proposed increase of Syrian refugees to the U.S. I support Governor Bentley’s actions.We need to be helping persons like the Yazidis and the Assyrian Christians who have been targeted for murder by ISIS. This should not be a general economic exodus from the Middle East. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05): It’s quite clear that Barack Obama and the White House have absolutely no idea how to confront the Islamic State Junior Varsity team, as Barack Obama likes to call them. And that incompetence and ineptitude in the White House is risking American lives and has already cost untold thousands of lives around the planet. If I were to sum up Barack Obama’s on the Syrian refugees, the word that comes to mind is masochism. But that’s not really fair to masochists because they only injure themselves. Barack Obama is surrounded by Secret Service, he’s protected. He’s not putting himself at risk, he’s putting Americans at risk. U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06): The State Department needs to his the pause button on this before we admit any new Syrian refugees. It is absolutely critical that we know who is coming in here. I think we ought to encourage other Middle Eastern countries to take those refugees. I think the assimilation process will be much easier. I understand there are differences between the various sects in Islam, but they should step up and take a much bigger role in this.
Robert Bentley directs state agencies to resist Syrian refugees
Gov. Robert Bentley on Monday ordered state agencies to use “all lawful means” to prevent the relocation of Syrian refugees to Alabama as he and other governors try to block the refugees because of fears that terrorists will slip in among them. The governor signed the executive order a day after saying he would oppose any effort to locate Syrian refugees in Alabama. “As Governor, the threat associated with allowing Syrian refugees to enter Alabama is too high, and I will not endanger the lives of Alabamians by allowing Syrian refugees to come into our beloved state,” Bentley said in a statement. Bentley is one of several governors trying to hang out the “Not Welcome Here” sign, citing concerns about terrorism after the Paris attacks and reports that one of the terrorists may have crossed into France with refugees. Immigration experts said a state governor does not have the legal authority to block refugees since the placement is done by the federal government. Bentley Communications Director Jennifer Ardis said there are health screenings and other services that state agencies provide to refugees in their resettlement process, and these would be prohibited by Bentley’s order. The order specifically instructs the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Resources not to participate in resettlement. The order also directs the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency “to monitor and avert threats” if officials learn a Syrian refugee is living in Alabama. So far, no Syrian refugees have been relocated to Alabama; some have been accepted in nearby states. J.D McCrary, director of the Georgia chapter of the International Rescue Committee, said states can offer an opinion, but ultimately have no say in where refugees are located. “State governments and governors can provide feedback, but ultimately the U.S. Department of State has the final decision,” McCrary said. The Georgia group has helped resettle 59 Syrian refugees over the past two years. McCrary said the refugees are the victims, not the perpetrators, of violence. “The refugees who are coming here are the ones that are fleeing this exact type of violence,” he said. McCrary said the refugees go through an extensive vetting process that can take years. President Barack Obama‘s administration has pledged to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees, saying the U.S should do more to help those fleeing terrorism. Alabama takes in a low number of refugees overall compared to other parts of the country. The state took in 107 refugees in fiscal year 2014, one of the lowest numbers of any state, according to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. Only five states took in a fewer number of refugees that year. Refugees tend to be relocated to places where they have existing family, or community members, to help them, McCrary said. Monsignor Michael Farmer of the Archdiocese of Mobile said the church’s refugee charity has not been asked by the federal government to help with Syrian refugees. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
