On the Question of Refugee Vetting

You're being lied to and perhaps a bit naive if you believe that security vetting of Middle Eastern refugees is meaningful. Here's why:

First: The claim by the government that the security vetting process of refugees often takes two years and, therefore, should be seen as thorough and complete is pure fiction. The fact is that while the process often is lengthy, its duration has little or nothing to do with security or background checks. The greatest delays are generated by "cultural training" and other administrative functions conducted by community organizations. (These organizations are under the umbrella of the State Department and are handsomely compensated for these services)    

Second: True security vetting is dependent in large part on the exchange of information between governmental law enforcement organizations and from informants in home countries. Where traditional governments are in disarray or no longer even exist and where sources in country are extremely limited as is the case in most of the refugee providing countries, vetting is at best a crap shoot. What is left in the vetting process are "camp sources" and the interviews with the applicants.

In sum, without criminal records and in country source information, vetting is a misnomer for "best available." 

Ben Ferro (editor)

benferro@insideins.com

(Ben Ferro served for six years as the Justice Department's Immigration Director at Embassy Rome with responsibility for all refugee processing of persons from the then Soviet Union, the Middle Eastern countries, as well as those refugees fleeing war torn areas in Africa. During Mr. Ferro's tenure, tens of thousands of persons were processed each year through INS Rome operations.)