Rep. Lamar Smith Calls to Halt Refugee Resettlement Program

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) wrote an op-ed this week in Breitbart calling for a halt to the refugee program due to national security concerns. Rep. Smith pointed to the October testimony from FBI Director James Comey who said he has “concern” about “certain gaps … in the data available to us.”

“In response to my question during a hearing before Congress last October, FBI Director James Comey expressed his ‘concern’ about ‘certain gaps … in the data available to us.’ Nicholas Rasmussen, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, acknowledged: ‘The intelligence picture we’ve had of this conflict zone isn’t what we’d like it to be … you can only review against what you have.'”

He showed how the administration has ignored the apprehension Americans have over bringing 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country and has avoided providing important information to Congress.

“It is no wonder that recent polls show national security at the top of the list of Americans’ priorities. Even with new attacks reported throughout the world every few days, the Obama administration refuses to acknowledge the threats we face or take the necessary steps to stop them.

“This administration has failed to report on the ‘gaps’ in security screening and actively obstructed congressional oversight. Under current law, The Department of Health and Human Services is required to submit an annual report on the Office of Refugee Resettlement, yet this report is more than a year late. The Obama administration repeatedly refused to respond to congressional inquiries on the immigration status of terrorists charged in plots in the United States, despite reports that at least 14 were admitted to the country as refugees.”

You can read Rep. Lamar Smith’s full op-ed at Breitbart.com http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/01/halting-refugees-is-the-right-thing-to-do/