Babin: Ending the Trojan Horse Refugee Threat
Swift action required to prevent terrorists from exploiting weak migrant policies
by Brian Babin | 18 Jan 2017 at 5:26 AM
America’s United Nations-run refugee resettlement program poses a direct threat to the safety and security of the American people. ISIS has already successfully infiltrated the refugee flow into Europe and has pledged to do the same in America. To protect Americans and put their safety first, we must put a stop to this “Trojan Horse” threat.
In the U.S. and across Europe, we continue to see the deadly consequences of radical Islamic terrorists exploiting weak refugee and immigration policies. From the attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Nice to those in America in San Bernardino, Orlando, and Boston, we can no longer ignore this growing danger.
That is why, on the first day of the 115th Congress, I reintroduced legislation that would immediately suspend America’s participation in this flawed U.N. refugee resettlement program.
My bill, the Resettlement Accountability National Security Act of 2017 (H.R. 80), reasserts congressional authority over the refugee resettlement program by imposing a moratorium on all refugees until Congress gives specific approval of a new security screening program.
We were told by President Obama’s own Department of Homeland Security, FBI director, and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that U.S. intelligence officials cannot properly vet or screen refugees coming from Syria and other terrorist hot spots.
However, President Obama defied these warnings and continued to expand America’s admission of refugees to a proposed 110,000 for 2017. This would include thousands of refugees from countries compromised by terrorist activity like Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen. Bringing in poorly vetted refugees from these areas is absolutely foolish — and it must be stopped.
As a compassionate Christian, I believe we can and should help displaced refugees by caring for them in safe zones near their own countries. In fact, for the cost of bringing one refugee into America on a path to citizenship, we can help at least 12 more in safe zones.
And while the U.N. supposedly prioritizes helping religious minorities for refugee status, Christians accounted for a fraction of 1 percent of all refugees allowed entry from Syria in 2016. These statistics reflect that some of the most highly persecuted Syrians — Christians and Yazidis — have almost no chance of being resettled in America. This imbalance is yet another reason that we should suspend our participation in the misguided U.N.-led refugee program.
The American people elected Donald Trump because they were fed up with politically correct policies that are undermining their safety and security. We now have a unique opportunity to put a stop to this dangerous expansion of refugees under a flawed and broken U.N.-led refugee resettlement program, while also ensuring future administrations do not take us down the same path.
The world has changed greatly since the current refugee program was signed into law by then-President Jimmy Carter in 1980. We must address this gaping hole in our national security as America's enemies and their tactics have evolved. It is time that our refugee policies reflect these realities and put the interests of American citizens first.
My bill is an important first step to achieve these goals. I am confident President-Elect Trump will fulfill his campaign promise and make this a top priority. As elected officials, we took an oath of office to protect the American people and we must take immediate steps to address the clear and present danger posed by America's U.N.-led refugee resettlement program. It is our sworn duty.
Rep. Brian Babin represents the 36th Congressional District of Texas in Congress and is a member of the Republican Party.
http://www.lifezette.com/polizette/b...efugee-threat/
