releases: https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=171e46cc-1a7a-4c2b-a8cd-9577837535b5
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=171e46cc-1a7a-4c2b-a8cd-9577837535b5 | Isakson Presses President Obama to Increase Security for Refugee Resettlement Plan, Refuse Admittance to ISIL Members, Supporters | 2015-11-17 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | GA | Johnny Isakson | I000055 | www.isakson.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON In the aftermath of the November 13th terrorist attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds more, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., joined his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to President Barack Obama urging the administration to ensure that no members, supporters or sympathizers of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, are infiltrating Syrian refugee movements to enter the United States. ISIL claimed responsibility for the coordinated terror attacks in Paris, and French and other European officials have said that at least one of the attackers entered the European Union by blending into the flow of refugees coming in from Syria. In September 2015, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned of the U.S. intelligence communitys huge concern that ISIL might attempt to infiltrate Syrian refugee movements to enter Europe and possibly the United States. In October 2015, FBI Director James Comey cautioned about the U.S. governments limited ability to thoroughly vet all Syrian refugees for national security risk. Since 2012, the United States has reportedly admitted 1,854 Syrian refugees into the country. Our screening process should be rigorous, and we must not allow for an increase to the number of refugees coming to our country until this administration puts forth a strong strategy for ensuring that radical jihadists are kept out of the United States, said Isakson. That is why I am joining my Senate colleagues in calling on the administration to provide to Congress with the specific measures that will be added to the screening process for Syrian refugees in the wake of the Paris attacks. We must immediately address these concerns publicly raised by the director of the FBI and the director of National Intelligence. While our country has a long history of welcoming refugees and has an important role to play in the heartbreaking Syrian refugee crisis, our first and most important priority must be to ensure that any refugee who comes to the United States does not present a threat to the American people, the senators wrote in their letter to President Obama. We believe that an essential component of that effort is ensuring that no refugee related to the Syrian crisis is admitted to the United States unless the U.S. government can guarantee, with 100 percent assurance, that they are not members, supporters, or sympathizers of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Daesh or ISIL. In addition to Isakson, the letter to President Obama was signed by Sens. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Daniel Coats, R-Ind., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D. A copy of the letter is below. November 16, 2015 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: We stand in solidarity with the people of France and against the terrorists who carried out the horrific attacks of November 13th that clearly were designed deliberately to kill as many innocent people as possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. As we mourn the loss of life and provide France all the support and assistance it needs, the U.S. government must redouble its efforts to keep the American people safe. We believe that an essential component of that effort is ensuring that no refugee related to the Syrian crisis is admitted to the United States unless the U.S. government can guarantee, with 100 percent assurance, that they are not members, supporters, or sympathizers of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Daesh or ISIL. It is already clear that ISIS is responsible for the barbaric attacks. Reports indicate that at least one of the attackers apparently utilized the flow of refugees to infiltrate into Europe. These facts require a serious and objective reexamination of the Administrations policy toward Syrian refugees to avoid unnecessary risks. While our country has a long history of welcoming refugees and has an important role to play in the heartbreaking Syrian refugee crisis, our first and most important priority must be to ensure that any refugee who comes to the United States does not present a threat to the American people. Compassion for Syrian refugees is important, but a fierce determination to protect the American people is also important. The fact that ISIS may have utilized the flow of refugees to infiltrate Europe and potentially the United States is not a surprise. In September, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), James Clapper, publicly warned the U.S. intelligence community has a huge concern that ISIS may seek to infiltrate Syrian refugees who are flowing into Europe and potentially the United States. As they [refugees] descend on Europe, one of the obvious issues that we worry about, and in turn as we bring refugees into this country, is exactly whats their background? DNI Clapper added: We dont obviously put it past the likes of ISIL to infiltrate operatives among these refugees. On October 21, 2015, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey told the House Committee on Homeland Security that the U.S. government may not have the ability to vet thoroughly all Syrian refugees coming into the United States. He explained that if a Syrian person is not already in the FBIs database, that person is unknown to the agency, leaving an inadequate basis for the persons background to be screened for terrorism risk. We can only query against that which we have collected, Director Comey cautioned. He also said, So if someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home but we are not going tothere will be nothing because we have no record on that person. Given DNI Clappers stated concern that ISIS may try to infiltrate Syrian refugee movements as well as FBI Director Comeys public acknowledgment of the U.S. governments limitations in thoroughly vetting all Syrian refugees, we respectfully request your Administration: List comprehensively the challenges, prior to the November 13th terrorist attacks, in the process for checking the background of Syrian refugees and checking potential risks to national security, including potential terrorism risks; Detail what special or enhanced measures will be added to the screening process for Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the November 13th terrorist attacks; and Describe how it plans to address the vetting challenges that Director Comey describes. We ask that your Administration immediately share this information with the American people. We look forward to a timely response. We cannot imagine a more urgent or higher priority. Sincerely, ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |