White House spokesman Josh Earnest insisted that no refugee would be able to “short circuit” the U.S. vetting process, even in the wake of separate arrests Friday of two men who fled the violence in Iraq and Syria and were resettled in the U.S.
Their arrests “are good examples of how the Department of Homeland Security, the intel community, our law enforcement and other national security agencies work effectively together to keep us safe,” Earnest said. He noted that the men were arrested before they actually carried out any terrorist attack on American soil.
“When it comes to refugees … no one’s allowed to short-circuit the system,” Earnest said. “The fact is that individuals who are admitted to the United States through the refugee process undergo the most rigorous screening of any individual that enters the United States,” he added, ticking off a now-familiar list of specifics that includes reviewing biographic and biometric information and in-person interviews.
Earnest also noted that the process has been enhanced. Investigators now check additional databases for red flags about whether someone seeking asylum in the U.S. is actually a terrorist-in-waiting.
“And again, as we see in these two cases, we have got law enforcement officials working closely with national security officials to take steps to keep us safe,” Earnest said.
The two men were not charged with any specific plot or intent to carry out attacks on U.S. soil.
