White House Announces that U.S. Will Admit 10,000 Syrian Refugees
As Syrian refugees continue to flee violent civil conflict in their home country, The White House announced that the United States will welcome at least 10,000 more Syrian refugees.
Since the Syrian civil conflict began in 2011, more than half of the population of Syria has been displaced. Resources in Middle-Eastern and European countries are quickly wearing thin as refugees flood into nearby countries. Admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States will start to relieve some of that pressure, but some human rights groups are calling for the U.S. to accept up to 65,000 additional refugees.
Some opponents to the refugee resettlement program worry that terrorist operatives will manage to sneak into the country unnoticed among the thousands of incoming refugees. Though the U.N. provides the U.S. with a list of refugees who are deemed safe for resettlement, the lengthy screening process takes up to 24 months and will further strain resources at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In total, the U.S. will accept 75,000 refugees from around the world in the new Fiscal Year (FY) beginning October 1st. According to Congressional aides, Secretary of State John Kerry said the administration will seek an increase in refugee admittances beyond the limit of 75,000. The total number of refugees who will be admitted is not yet certain.
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