Then a
small percentage of that number actually ever gets to the United
States. It takes 18 to 24 months. To date, there hasn't been a single
episode of terrorism from a Syrian refugee. We have a pretty strong
vetting process--the strongest in the world--that very much puts
American security first. It was disheartening for me to listen to King Abdallah talk about the
sacrifices his country has made. Of the 650,000 refugees that Jordan
has taken in from Syria, the King indicated that about 90 percent are
integrated into the Jordanian society. They are not in camps. They are
in their schools, in their communities. They have been able to make
sure that the refugees are well cared for. It is a huge part of the
budget. I think the King indicated that maybe 20 percent of the
Jordanian budget deals with refugees. That is a country that
understands their regional responsibilities and international
responsibilities. The United States has been the leader in the global community,
recognizing that the flight of people--the refugees--represents not
only a humanitarian requirement for the global community but also
security issues. We have to have an orderly process for those who are
fleeing persecution, and the United States has always been in the
leadership. We have been in the leadership in opening our borders. We
are proud of the refugees that came to this country after World War II,
from Cambodia, Vietnam, and Cuba. There is a long list of those who
have escaped persecution coming here to the United States and helping
to build this great country. We recognize that diversity is our
strength.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees