U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) voted Thursday in support of a bill that would drastically slow or prevent Syrian and Iraqi refugees from entering the country by adding key steps to the screening process.
The American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act would require the director of the FBI, the secretary of Homeland Security, and the director of National Intelligence to individually confirm the absence of a security threat for each refugee before he or she would be allowed into the U.S.
The bill reflects an outcry from states and several countries that had made commitments to accept Syrian refugees before the terrorist attacks on Paris last week. During the investigation, authorities found a Syrian passport near the body of one of the attackers, raising questions about the risk of accepting tens of thousands of refugees en masse with limited screening measures. Illinois is one of dozens of states that has temporarily suspended acceptance of Syrian refugees.
“Our first priority must be protecting the American people against possible terrorist attacks,” Davis said. “The president’s own advisers have warned of gaps within our screening process and ISIS’s ability to infiltrate Syrian refugees. I hope President [Barack] Obama will reconsider his threat to veto this important legislation and instead work with us to ensure Americans’ safety. The SAFE Act allows America to continue its history of compassion toward those around the world without sacrificing our safety and security.”
The legislation goes against the wishes of Obama, who plans on continuing with his plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. over the next year despite the concerns raised by the Paris attacks. Following the House's advancement of the SAFE act, the White House issued a statement saying Obama would veto the bill if it made it to his desk.
Alerts Sign-up