Homeland Security Committee Releases Report on Syrian Refugee Flow

Statement

The House Committee on Homeland Security released a Majority Staff Report today presenting the preliminary findings of a nearly year-long investigation into the counterterrorism challenges associated with Syrian refugee flows to the United States and into Europe. The report, "Syrian Refugee Flows: Security Risks and Counterterrorism Challenges," makes important findings about the crisis and presents seven recommendations for enhancing U.S. and international security.

"As part of a nearly year-long review, I recently dispatched a team overseas to determine whether refugee flows might be exploited by ISIS to conduct attacks in the West. They were in Europe as the Paris attacks unfolded," said Chairman McCaul. "Sadly, our fears appeared to be confirmed with the news that at least one of these terrorists may have infiltrated Europe posing as a Syrian refugee, and there are signs that there may be more. Now we face a grave challenge alongside our allies in Europe--to ensure we protect our people against emerging threats while living up to our humanitarian obligations. My team has found alarming gaps in the vetting of Syrian refugees at home and abroad, and in this high threat environment, we must take urgent action to keep Islamist terrorists from infiltrating their ranks."

Acting on the preliminary findings of this review, Chairman McCaul this week introduced H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, which would put in place the most robust national-security vetting process in history to ensure terrorist do not exploit our humanitarian programs to enter the United States.

In September, the Committee also released the Final Report of the bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel, which outlined serious security weaknesses in the United States and overseas which have allowed terrorists and foreign fighters to cross borders. Today's Majority Staff Report urges that the recommendations of the Task Force be implemented immediately by the President to close gaps in America's defenses.

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