By Phil Orenstein
Our Queens representatives oppose the refugee bill, aka the America SAFE Act, which puts additional safeguards into place for screening Syrian refugees in order to prevent the threat of terrorist attacks from ISIS infiltrators.
But the latest polls show that the vast majority of Americans oppose Obama’s plan to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States. If the views of Queens residents are anywhere near the national figures of 53 percent in opposition and 28 percent for the refugee plan, then six out of the seven Queens lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Crowley, Meng, Meeks and the others, who voted against the measure, are out of touch with their constituents.
The reason we strongly oppose the president’s refugee plan is because we cannot be sure that our safety is part of the equation, even with the brazen assurances from Rep. Gregory Meeks that we “have the strongest refugee vetting program in the world,” referring to the 13-step program touted by the White House. The refugee plan was hatched shortly after President Obama said that ISIS is contained—on the same day that Paris was attacked. According to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), there have been dozens of men and women arrested in the United States for suspicion of ISIS involvement, including 12 refugees in the past year who were vetted and allowed into the country.
The FBI, counterterrorism and Homeland Security Departments have told us they cannot adequately vet the Syrian refugees coming into the United States. FBI director James Comey said that there are no databases, no records in Syria. We have no intelligence to identify them and we know that ISIS does intend to smuggle in terrorists with the refugees.
The government’s No. 1 job is to protect the American people. While Meeks and the other Queens elected officials are outspoken on granting asylum to the Syrian refugees, they are putting us at great risk. Our Queens representatives are disingenuous and disgraceful. While there was a recent genocide of Iraq’s Yazidi population and their applications for asylum in the United States were rejected, they were all silent. But now they are grandstanding, up on their high horses, bucking public safety.
Phil Orenstein
President, Queens Village
Republican Club
