WASHINGTON — The Senate is poised to vote on a bill Wednesday that, if passed, would make it harder for Syrian and Iraqi refugees refugees to come to the United States, by tightening the vetting process for those applying for refugee status.
If approved, the bill would require the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence, to certify to Congress that each of the refugee seeking asylum in the U.S. does not pose a security threat. Affected refugees
But many Democrats, including President Barack Obama, say the vetting process currently in place is strict enough, and that the bill would make it harder to provide a safe haven for those fleeing war zones.
Syrian refugees, who are fleeing violence and in some cases starvation, have been caught up in a political debate in the U.S. and Europe that has flared up even more after attackers with ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) carried out a series of coordinated shootings in Paris.
No Syrian refugees have been tied to the attacks in the United States or Paris. But the terror group is mainly based in Syria and Iraq and several presidential candidates -- including Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz -- have lumped refugees in with ISIS.
NEW: @tedcruz is taking a break from the New Hampshire bus tour tomorrow to VOTE on taking up the bill to pause incoming refugees.— Niels Lesniewski (@nielslesniewski) January 19, 2016
Trump even floated a proposal that would ban Muslims from entering the U.S..
Republicans support Trump’s Muslim ban idea by a margin of 65% to 22%. Politically this is a slam dunk for him. pic.twitter.com/jHKzc3ypUv— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) January 15, 2016
The House already passed the strengthened background check legislation, also known as the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act, in November by a veto-proof 289-137 vote.
That total included 47 House Democrats, who joined with their GOP colleagues to support the bill.
The legislation, however, will likely have a much harder time making it through the Senate, where every Republican and at least six Democrats must vote in approval to meet the threshold for passage.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has said the bill won't meet the number of Democratic cross-over votes needed to pass.
And even if it did, President Barack Obama vowed to veto it if it lands on his desk.