Mccaul Statement On Iraqi Refugee Arrests On Terror-Related Charges

Press Release

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul released the following statement in response to the arrest of two Iraqi refugees in the United States on terror-related charges.

"While I commend the FBI for their hard work, these arrests heighten my concern that our refugee program is susceptible to exploitation by terrorists," said Chairman McCaul. "The president has assured us that individuals from Iraq and Syria receive close scrutiny, but it is clearly not enough. We need to act, which is why today I call upon the Senate to take up my bill to overhaul the security vetting of Iraqi and Syrian refugees. We cannot delay while more potential jihadists slip through the cracks. Terrorist groups like ISIS have vowed to use these programs to infiltrate the West, and now it is clearer than ever that we should take them at their word."

In November, the House passed the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, with a bipartisan, veto-proof majority.

The American SAFE Act requires comprehensive background checks of every refugee from Iraq or Syria before they can be admitted into the United States and certification that each does not pose a threat.

Specifically, under this legislation, no refugee from Iraq or Syria will be admitted into the U.S. unless:

the FBI Director certifies the background investigation of each refugee; and

the Secretary of Homeland Security, along with the FBI Director and the Director of National Intelligence, certifies to Congress that each refugee is not a security threat to the United States.

Under this legislation, no Syrian or Iraqi refugee can enter the United States until the American people's representatives in Congress receive these certifications.

It also creates an additional layer of protection by requiring the DHS Inspector General to independently assess the refugee approvals--making sure that high-risk individuals do not slip through the cracks.

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