White House Holds Call With 34 Governors On Syrian Refugees
Source: Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- The White House sought Tuesday to reassure U.S. governors concerned about accepting Syrian refugees following the attacks in Paris, explaining during a conference call how the refugees are screened and prioritized for entry.
Of the 34 governors who participated in the 90-minute call, 13 asked questions, according to the White House. Senior officials on the call included President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and representatives from the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Health and Human Services, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center.
Administration officials have said screening for Syrian refugees includes an interview overseas, biometrics, fingerprinting and biographical investigations to determine if individuals are truly worthy of refugee status or if they pose security risks.
"The federal government reaffirmed that refugees go through the highest level of security screening of any category of traveler to the United States," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, said in a statement. He added that the State Department prioritizes the most vulnerable groups of people and that half of all Syrian refugees are children.
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