DHS: More than 300 refugees being investigated f
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DHS: More than 300 refugees being investigated for terror ties
By Rick Moran
March 7, 2017
An official with the Department of Homeland Security told reporters on Monday that the FBI is investigating approximately 300 refugees for ties to terrorism. He also said the Bureau is investigating more than 1,000 individuals who may have been inspired or motivated by the Islamic State.
Daily Caller:
Two terrorist attacks by Somali refugees have injured more than 20 Americans in the past year. The DHS also pointed Monday to the case of another Somali refugee who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2014 for trying to set off a bomb at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Portland, Ore.
The announcement from the DHS official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, came as President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would temporarily stop refugee admittances for 120 days.
More than 4,300 refugees have entered the country in the past month since a federal judge blocked Trump’s previous order stopping refugee entry. This new executive order will be effective on March 16, and during the halt in refugee entry, the government will review vetting procedures.
Unlike the previous executive order, the one signed Monday has no indefinite ban on Syrian refugee entry.
Those are astonishing numbers. And what isn't clear is if any of those 300 refugees is already in the country. When the Obama administration cut the vetting time for refugees from 18 months to 3 months, there was concern that some refugees allowed into the U.S. would be inadequately vetted. Indeed, then-senator Jeff Sessions, now attorney general, released a staff report last year that stated that at least 40 refugees allowed into the U.S. have since been implicated in terrorist activities.
No vetting procedure can be 100% effective. No one is asking for or expects that. But going the extra mile to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of the United States should be among the highest priorities of government. Considering that president Obama appeared more concerned with appearances regarding American "compassion" and "generosity" rather than with keeping us safe, the proposed change in attitude by the Trump administration is welcome. < >