OSHKOSH — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said this after authorities arrested two Iraqi refugees on terrorism-related charges:
“The arrests of two Iraqis — one with connections to Milwaukee — who came to the U.S. through our Refugee Resettlement Program in 2009 and 2012 remind us that when allowing people to lawfully enter our country, we must always be vigilant. If these terrorism-related charges prove true, this will not have been the first time that terrorists have used our refugee program to their advantage, and it is unlikely to be the last.
“I urge the Senate to consider my bill, S. 2300, the American Safety Against Foreign Enemies Act, which will require certifications that adequate vetting and background investigations of refugees from Iraq and Syria occur before they are admitted to the United States. The House has already passed this bill with a veto-proof majority. As the president plans to increase the number of refugees we allow into the country, we must assure the American public that the U.S. will not short-circuit our vetting process.”
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