We have an obligation and thats safety and security of the homeland. Theres going to be handoff between the various agencies. How do we make sure with this increased workload and increased pressure to help the refugees that we dont make a mistake that could potentially put our homeland at risk . And ill start with anybody in the agency. Maybe Homeland Security. I was concerned of the numbers and well go to the security. Just to be clear, yes, we are our goal, whatever you want to call it for physical year is 85,000. Within the 85,000 we are thriving to admit ten thousand syrians. That is not a capt. The only clarification i have is that secretary kerry said its not a ceiling. Its the floor. I think if that were to be raised it would be a higher number. The hundred thousand refers to the aspiration, the goal to do a hundred thousand refugees to ky 2017. I can assure you on our side there will be no shortcuts on security or medical screening. There will be no shortcuts on processing. We
Regarding the Security Checks. We will not cut corners. The Security Check requirements were developed in the inner agency with the consultation and expertise of the fbi, our dhs partners, and the Intelligence Community partners and the security regime was set up with all that input. And i have heard no discussion of making any cuts to it for any reason. I would like to point out that the grant grants of Refugee Status are discretionary so that if there is a doubt, the case is referred for further review and if theres a National Security concern, that individuals application is denied. As the refugee situation continues to evolve, the administration is assessing its capacity and resource needs for fiscal year 2016 within an increased number of refugees it will be important to preserve currently available resources and fund this at a sufficient level. Mr. Chair, if i may just one question related to accountability. Mr. Bartlett, i understand that youre working with the decisions that ha
Then it said it planned to accept a floor of 85,000 refugees and at least 100,000 next year. Once here with Refugee Status those individuals can claim any job and collect any federal welfare benefit. Recent statistics from the department of health and Human Services office of Refugee Resettlement indicate that 75 of refugees receive food stamps and more than half receive Free Health Care and cash benefits. For refugees from the middle east the numbers are even higher. More than 90 of recent middle eastern refugees draw food stamps and about 70 receive Free Health Care and cash welfare. Refugee settlement also comes with security risks as we have witnessed with the surge of isis recruitment among, for example, somali refugee communities in minnesota. Anyone claiming to have a serious and honest discussion of Refugee Resettlement must ask the difficult questions about integration, how can we accomplish that. Assimilation, and community safety. This is certainly true with respect to count
Families do not have their checks expire, forcing them to redo many of those screenings, when individual parts of the test expire while theyre waiting for other parts to be completed. And third, keeping families updated about their status. Frequently a large familys resettlement will be delayed because a Single Family member is waiting to be approved. Those are common sense straightforward methods of reforming the screening process so that it takes weeks, not years to reach conclusion. And i think they are doable. They may require more resources. Where the u. S. Congress should be involved. I will be sending a letter within a few days, detailing those proposals. Is large audience here testimony to the importance of this subject. Again, not just because of our standing or image in the world, but our selfimage. Our selfworth, our view of ourselves as a nation. My feeling is that the American People still believe that we are the nation of the statue of liberty. That we have arms open to p
I dont think any of you are being told your resources are going to increase when you have more refugees. So at the most fundamental level, im trying to figure out how you absorb this within the current rate of funding that you have without something giving. One of those things that may give could be the very important thing that we all have an obligation to ensure, and that is the safety and security of the homeland. There is going to be handoff between the various agencies. How do we make sure with this increased pressure that we dont make a mistake that could put our homeland at risk. And i will start with maybe Homeland Security . I was going to start with numbers, because thats perhaps the easier part of the question. Just to be clear, our goal, the target, the ceiling is 85,000. Within that 85,000 we are striving to admit 10,000 syrians. That is not a cap. Have, y question i secretary carey said, it is a ceiling. It is not a ceiling, it is a floor. That suggests to me language tha