The Import of People

Syrian Refugees

There is widespread fear among a section of the Americans that a Paris-style attack can happen in the U.S. if the country allows the influx of Syrian refugees and this is the primary basis of the American backlash against the Syrian refugees. There is also a raging debate on the issue and there are both facts as well as assumptions ad presumptions that are being put forward by both the camps -- those who support Syrian refugee intake into the U.S. and those who oppose it.

There is a school of thought that dismisses the fear among a section of the Americans that Syrian refugee intake can result in a Paris-style attack. The argument put forward in favor of this statement is the process of relocating refugees into America which is very different from how they are allowed into the Europe and elsewhere. According to the State Department, the most vetted group of people who are being allowed into the U.S. are Syrians who are flown to the U.S.

There are multiple layer security checks and background checks for such fliers before they manage to enter the U.S. Every candidate is first vetted by the refugee agency of the United Nations and then the U.S. State department officials separately vet them. Often the FBI, the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security are included in the process of vetting and verification. This process is complex and takes between 18 months and two years to get completed before even a single refugee is allowed into the U.S.

Compare that with the way Syrian refugees are allowed into Europe where a smuggler can easily slip them into the nearest European country without any checks or measures by the local authorities of that particular country. Except for fingerprinting, those Syrian refugees even without any form of identification documents are allowed to get into the European mainland. Hence the process of allowing in refugees into the U.S. is very different and is has a wide range of checks and balances and therefore, only the absolutely clean refugees are allowed entry. This significantly reduces any chance of an Isis sympathizer or a potential Isis terrorist sneaking into the U.S. guessing as Syrian refugee.

Secondly, it needs to be understood that the Syrians that are fleeing their country and queuing up to become refugees in another country are themselves among the most vulnerable groups who have been affected by the Syrian conflict. Most of the refugees are children and women who have had t fled their country of birth fearing for their lives and livelihood. Many other refugees are religious minorities and often themselves victims of violence or torture.