WASHINGTON — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan to admit 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February has raised questions for the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which worries that the ambitious goal may pose a threat to U.S. National Security.
The U.S. enforces one of the most rigorous refugee screening processes in the world, vetting U.N.-recommended refugees against the full spectrum of national security databases. Though the committee acknowledged that Canada’s screening program resembles the United States process, the senators still decided to assess the safety of Trudeau’s initiative.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., the panel’s chairman, said that the potential entry into Canada of Islamic terrorists would undoubtedly put the U.S. at risk, particularly given the country’s relatively open border with its Northern neighbor.
“I think most of our committee members here would admit our borders are not secure,” he said.
