US cool on taking in refugees to ease crisis
The Obama Administration wants to help its allies across the Atlantic with an escalating migrant crisis, but is unlikely to open America’s doors to vast numbers of Syrian and other refugees arriving each day by the thousands in Europe.
While Germany braces for some 800,000 asylum seekers this year, many of whom are fleeing Syria’s civil war, the United States isn’t saying if it will increase its worldwide quota for resettling refugees from 70,000.
Only a fraction of those would be Syrians, who must first navigate a multiyear application process before learning if they can start a new life in the US.
US Secretary of State John Kerry plans to brief members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees about how many Syrian refugees the US is willing to take in.
When it comes to the current migrant challenge, the US and Europe are in different places.
Whereas the US is separated by an ocean from the Middle East and North Africa, Europe’s place adjacent to one of the world’s most volatile regions makes it an obvious destination for people fleeing war, persecution and poverty. And there are no gut-wrenching images of refugees drowning while trying to swim or smuggle their way across thousands of kilometres of open sea.
A spokesman for the National Security Council said the US was ‘‘actively considering’’ steps to alleviate the situation in Europe, where more than 340,000 people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia now have arrived.
Beyond Syria, many are also fleeing parts of Iraq that are under the Islamic State group’s control.
The spokesman, Peter Boogaard, said the steps could include ‘‘refugee resettlement’’. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said a ‘‘range of approaches’’ was being studied. But as for taking more Syrians and others in, Earnest said, ‘‘There is a process for doing this.’’
That process, as it currently stands, is slow.
Refugees wait around three years to find out if they can move to the US, meaning Washington wouldn’t be able to offer quick assistance.
Throughout Syria’s 41⁄ year civil war, the US has accepted only about 1500 Syrians – a tiny percentage of the 11.6 million people who have been chased out of the country or uprooted from their homes by the conflict.
In 1999, tens of thousands of mostly Muslim Kosovar Albanians were flown to the US, processed at a military post and ultimately resettled.
During the Iraq war, more than 50,000 refugees were allowed to come under a special, expedited programme for people whose religious beliefs or past work for the US military put their lives at risk.
Asked directly if the Obama Administration felt responsible to share Europe’s refugee burden, Earnest stressed the extent of US support thus far: US$4 billion (NZ$6.3b) provided in humanitarian aid, more than any other country, and ongoing diplomatic work to resolve Syria’s conflict peacefully.
Security concerns also run high, especially after two Iraqi refugees were arrested in Kentucky four years ago on charges that they plotted to help kill American troops in Iraq. US officials appeared to miss several security warnings.
Lawmakers and presidential candidates have cited the case in opposing taking in more Syrian refugees in the US.