Freeze On Syrian Refugees Called For By Florida Lawmaker

SARASOTA, FL — An explosion that killed at least 10 people in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday has caught the attention of a Florida lawmaker.

Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan says the attack, which has reportedly been linked to an ISIS terrorist posing as Syrian refugee, should serve as a wake-up call to the U.S. Senate. He is calling for “swift congressional action to stop Syrian refugees from entering America.”

Specifically, Buchanan is imploring the U.S. Senate to pass the SAFE Act. The measure, which cleared the U.S. House back in November, would freeze access to America for Syrian refugees until an “iron-clad screening process is approved,” a Wednesday statement from Buchanan’s office said.

Nabil Fadli, a Syrian refugee who was fingerprinted in Turkey last week, has been identified as the ISIS suicide bomber who carried out Tuesday’s attacks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“The Journal said Fadli was not on any terror watch lists shared with Turkey by other countries,” Buchanan’s statement pointed out.

See Also:

• ‘Social Media Screening for Terrorists Act’ Filed
• ‘Staggering Incompetence’ Aided Terrorist’s U.S. Entry, Buchanan Says

The SAFE Act would require the secretary of Homeland Security, the director of National Intelligence and the FBI’s director to all personally certify that any refugees from Iraq and Syria don’t pose security risks, according to Buchanan.

“We should be using every tool at our disposal to stop terrorists in their tracks,” Buchanan said. “The Senate should pass this bill immediately and require the President to fix the gaping holes in the Administration’s vetting system.”

Buchanan said the attack in Istanbul and the one in Paris demonstrate how “how radical Islamic jihadists are using refugee populations as cover to carry out murderous attacks. The safety of Americans comes first. Congress needs to put a bill on the President’s desk to freeze the Syrian refugee resettlement program until we have a better screening process.”

After the December terrorist attack in California, Buchanan also introduced the Social Media Screening for Terrorists Act. That measure would require vetting of all public records for those seeking entry into the United States.

Do you think the SAFE Act is needed? Share your opinions by commenting below.

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