WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan called on President Barack Obama to impose an immediate moratorium on accepting refugees from Syria into the United States on Monday.
Noting reports that one of the terrorists in last week's Paris terrorist attacks may have slipped into France disguised as a refugee, Buchanan said in a letter delivered to the President that we cannot risk the lives of Americans on an imperfect screening process.
"It is clear that radical Islam is waging war against America and Western civilization," Buchanan said. "We cannot allow terrorists to seep through a porous refugee screening process to kill Americans."
Buchanan said a far more sensible approach would be to create safe zones for refugees inside Syria or in neighboring countries. He said the United States should be a part of that humanitarian effort, but not its main financier.
FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress last month that the refugee screening process was flawed.
Several governors, including those from Arkansas, Michigan, Alabama and Texas, have already shown their opposition to relocating Syrian refugees within their states.
ABC 7's Christopher Brantley is currently working on a story about how admitted refugees will end up on the Suncoast and how this will impact several local groups. Stay tuned tonight for your Suncoast news at 5 for more information.
