Grassley to John Kerry: Will The Administration Blow Off Congress to Increase Refugee Numbers?

[timosman]

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2015/09/14/grassley-to-john-kerry-so-how-exactly-do-you-plan-on-screening-10000-new-syrian-refugees-n2051698

http://media.townhall.com/townhall/reu/ha/2015/243/f91a0028-db25-4da2-8281-951058818a17.jpg


Despite serious terrorism concerns from the FBI and Homeland Security, the White House announced last week that President Obama has instructed government agencies to increase the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States from 1500 to 10,000.

Now, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley is asking Secretary of State John Kerry not only how the government plans to screen new refugees, but how limited resources will be able to handle an overall increase. He's also expressing concerns about the administration going around Congress to bring in more refugees than approved through statute. Grassley issued a letter to Kerry as a follow up to testimony the Secretary gave on Capitol Hill last week about the ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe.

"I wanted to follow up on some key concerns I have about our discussion, particularly the suggestion that the administration may exceed the number of refugees for Fiscal Year 2016 that was proposed to Congress and the administration’s intent to admit into the country thousands of refugees from Syria," Grassley wrote in the letter sent to Kerry late last week. "According to the report provided to us, the administration would like to increase the number of refugees who would be admitted to the United States from 70,000 to 75,000. However, after you left the consultation, I asked Assistant Secretary Richard to clarify about whether that number would be increased at some point later in the fiscal year. She admitted that there are discussions within the administration about adding to the 75,000 number after the start of the new fiscal year, and the administration could use authority reserved for 'unforeseen emergency refugee situation' to go above what it proposed to Congress in this week’s consultation. The statute, however, requires that an additional consultation with Congress take place if the President plans to increase the number based on an emergency refugee situation."

"Before agreeing to accept thousands of Syrian refugees, the Obama administration must prove to the American people that it will take the necessary precautions to ensure that national security is a top priority, especially at a time when ruthless terrorist groups like ISIS are committed to finding ways to enter the United States and harm Americans. As reported by the Washington Times yesterday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper publicly stated at a U.S. intelligence community conference this week that the “Islamic State’s ability to infiltrate waves of Syrian war refugees flowing into Europe and potentially the United States” is a “huge concern” to the intelligence community," Grassley continued. "This concern is not merely hypothetical. In fact, past efforts to bring war refugees from the Middle East into the United States have allowed terrorists to enter our country...I have concerns about the administration once again abusing its authority to bypass the refugee process and parole individuals from Syria into the country."

Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul has also repeatedly expressed grave concerns about the administration's decision to increase the number of refugees coming from terrorism hot spots.

“The President wants to surge thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States, in spite of consistent intelligence community and federal law enforcement warnings that we do not have the intelligence needed to vet individuals from the conflict zone. We also know that ISIS wants to use refugee routes as cover to sneak operatives into the West. I implore the President to consult with Congress before taking any drastic action and to level with the American people about the very real security challenges we face," McCaul released in a statement. "It is heart-wrenching to watch innocent Syrians fleeing the violence in their country, and we can do more to help. But the best way to solve this crisis is at the source. The President needs to develop a real strategy for victory to defeat ISIS and remove Assad from power, which is the root cause of the problem. This is the culmination of a failed foreign policy to deal with the threats and now we have a humanitarian crisis on our hands.”
The White House hasn't released any details about how refugees will be vetted to ensure terrorism isn't imported onto American soil.

[Zippyjuan]

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-09-18/getting-10-000-syrian-refugees-into-the-u-s-won-t-be-easy


Getting 10,000 Syrian Refugees Into the U.S. Won't Be Easy

Only a select few of the estimated 4.1 million people who have fled Syria’s war will be eligible for resettlement in the U.S. Those hoping for a new life in America face nearly two years of bureaucratic red tape, rigorous security and health screenings and substantial uncertainty.

Workers from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non-governmental organizations such as the Red Cross evaluate Syrian refugees who have fled to camps in neighboring countries. To be considered for U.S. admission, refugees usually must be deemed "vulnerable,” a designation that includes widowed women, unaccompanied children, political targets of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, and those with life-threatening medical conditions.

Interviews by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officers aim at establishing whether Syrians meet the legal definition of refugee: a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country. Customs officers also help prepare documents and biographies for security officials who determine whether refugees have connections to terrorists or militants.

After refugees are placed in the U.S., local resettlement agencies funded by the government help them find safe, affordable housing and jobs and adjust to American culture. The Office of Refugee Resettlement provides financial assistance to immigrants for up to five years after their arrival. Once in the country, refugees can freely travel or relocate.

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[enhanced_deficit]

Seems like media held off on reporting details of this attack on 9/11 for weeks?

Wisconsin man charged with beheading mother with sword


Friday, September 11, 2015 -- 4:51 p.m.

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. -- Neighbors are trying to make sense of what authorities in Sun Prairie are calling a homicide at Providence Common on Friday afternoon.
Dane County Dispatch says a call about a domestic incident came in around noon. A resident who lives nearby says the scene comes as a shock to him.
"It's, like, one of the best neighborhoods I've ever lived in," says Roni Johnson. "Everybody is really nice. Everybody is really respectful. For something like this to happen here is mind-blowing."

Police have released very little information regarding the incident, but they say the public is not in danger and that all parties have been accounted for.
A woman who lives next door says a family with a child lived in the home where the incident happened. She describes them as kind and normal, adding that she trusted them enough to let her son go play at the home regularly.

"My son was just over there last night," says Nikki Sayles. "He goes over there every day. And I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to explain this to him because they were really close."
Sun Prairie police are allowing residents coming home from school and work back into their homes.


UPDATED: Monday, September 28, 2015 --- 6:46 p.m.

Court documents show disturbing details in the case, detailing how on September 11th Skalitzky's roommate called police, saying Skalitzky had cut his mother, Jane, with a sword.

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/BREAKING--Domestic-dispute-situation-in-Sun-Prairie-326770121.html