Better Safe than Sorry? Concern over Refugees Grows

There is growing concern in the U.S. about taking in refugees from Syria after last weekend's terror attacks in Paris. Some reports say at least one of the attackers was a Syrian who entered Europe through Greece.

More than half of the nation's governors also oppose the resettlement of Syrian refugees out of fear that some of them may be terrorists.

Republican leaders in Congress are joining a majority of the nation's governors trying to figure out how to stop more Syrian refugees from entering the country.

President Obama says the idea that there should be a "religious test" for accepting refugees into the country is un-American. But federal law says the Executive Branch is required to take religion into account in determining who is granted asylum.

National Review's Andrew McCarthy explains more here.

New House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urged at least a temporary pause in the resettlement of Syrians, disputing claims that the small numbers making their way into the United States so far are being thoroughly investigated.

"Our nation has always been welcoming, but we cannot let terrorists take advantage of our compassion. This is a moment where it's better to be safe than to be sorry," Ryan said. "So we think the prudent, the responsible thing, is to take a pause in this particular aspect of this refugee program in order to verify that terrorists are not trying to infiltrate the refugee population."

Presidential candidates are also weighing in on the issue.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is pushing legislation to ban any Syrian refugees who are Muslim from coming into the U.S.
 
And Donald Trump told ABC's Barbara Walters he wants to ban all Syrian refugees, Christian and Muslim.
 
"The problem is, we don't know if they're Christian or not. And I would certainly say that would be superior, but we don't if they're Christian or not," Trump said. "We have no idea who the people are. They have no papers; they have no paperwork. You can get forged documents very easily in Syria."
 
With many on edge after the Paris attacks, several lawmakers have already proposed legislation to restrict or block refugees from resettling in the U.S.

"The American people are deeply concerned about their security. More than ever before, what is taking place in Paris today, as awful as it is, we need to recognize that that can be transplanted here in our own country," Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., told CBN News.

"We have sleeper cells pervasive throughout the country, in every state, very difficult [and] challenging for the FBI to follow them -- and our Homeland Security -- so we must be recognizing that we have a security issue right here," he said.   
 
More than 30 governors oppose the Obama administration's plan to allow 10,000 refugees from Syria to enter the country next year.

The White House is defending the program that vets the refugees, but critics question if it can really get the job done.
 
Pittenger believes governors should have the final say.
 
"We are a divided government," Pittenger explained. "We have an executive branch, a legislative branch, a judicial branch -- all equal branches. "He [President Obama] is not a monarch, and he needs to work with our Congress, and Congress, of course, wants to work with governors. They'll be the ones who are responsible."
 
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, broke with most of his party when he said a pause in accepting Syrian refugees may be necessary.

Meanwhile, Christian relief agencies say it's important the Church not let fear hinder sharing the Gospel with the refugees.

"It's something that doesn't have to be polarized either safe or compassionate," said Stephen Bauman with World Relief. "I think our faith calls us to be compassionate. We can be safe as well as we reach out to those communities and welcome Syrian refugees."
 
Johnnie Moore, author of "Defying Isis," agrees the vetting process needs to be scrutinized more thoroughly.

"Every single member of ISIS is a Muslim and so it is a fact that we need to be more scrutinizing against Syrian refugees, and I believe there is an in between where you can totally do proper due diligence, handle it all very responsibly," Moore said.

"By the way, it's clear from a hearing a month ago in Congress that we're having a very difficult time vetting Syrian refugees and so I think the solution is both end -- you press pause, you make sure that our vetting process is sufficient, and in the meantime provide special treatment to those who clearly aren't members of ISIS," he said.