“As Americans, we want to always extend the hand of friendship, but we cannot jeopardize the safety of our people and our nation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., announced today that he has cosponsored legislation to halt bringing Syrian and Iraqi refugees to America.
H.R 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act, would prevent admission of any proposed Syrian or Iraqi refugee until the nation’s top security officials – the Homeland Security secretary and the directors of the FBI and National Intelligence – unanimously certify that the refugee does not represent a security threat.
“The sympathies and prayers of all Americans go out to the people of Paris and France, and we will stand by our allies in the fight against terrorism.
“Sadly, the Obama administration has failed to craft and execute a clear strategy to contain and defeat ISIS. Without a strong American strategy, ISIS has been allowed to spread terror across the Middle East and Europe and now threatens a strike on American soil. President Obama has consistently and repeatedly failed to acknowledge the magnitude of the threat ISIS poses to civilized society.
“The Paris attacks must serve as a wake-up call to our nation. We must take every step possible to protect the lives of Americans and keep our nation safe. We cannot be certain that all individuals seeking refuge from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq pose no threat to Americans.
“After attending a classified briefing Tuesday night and studying the shortfalls of our refugee screening process, I am joining with many of my colleagues in calling for a halt to bringing Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the United States at this time. Until we can address the dire security issues surrounding this refugee crisis, we must pause our acceptance of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. As Americans, we want to always extend the hand of friendship, but we cannot jeopardize the safety of our people and our nation,” Rep. Jenkins said.
Rep. Jenkins also joined 109 of his House colleagues in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to halt the admission of refugees from Syria and Iraq. The members also asked that these admissions be suspended until the administration establishes a thorough vetting process for potential refugees and an extensive monitoring process for relocated refugees. Please click here to read the letter.