American SAFE Act of 2015
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| Full title | American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 |
|---|---|
| Acronym | SAFE |
| Colloquial name(s) | American SAFE Act of 2015 |
| Introduced in | 114th United States Congress |
| Introduced on | November 17, 2015 |
| Sponsored by | Michael McCaul |
| Number of Co-Sponsors | 103 |
| Agencies affected | FBI, Department of Homeland Security, National Intelligence Program |
| Legislative history | |
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The SAFE Act (acronym for Safety Against Foreign Enemies) is an American legislative proposal for Syrian and Iraqi refugees that would require extra background investigation before entry into the United States.
The bill was first introduced in the House on November 17th, 2015, H.R. 4038 by Michael McCaul,[1] and has since been passed by the House.
Additional procedure to authorize admission for each refugee[1]
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certifies they received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the refugee is a U.S. security threat, to both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Director of National Intelligence.
- The Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Director of National Intelligence unanimously certify to Congress that the refugee not such a threat.
Background
The SAFE Act was created in response to the November 2015 Paris attacks, out of concern that ISIL terrorists would enter the United States posing as refugees fleeing Syria.[2]
Criticism
FBI Director James Comey said the SAFE Act "seeks to micromanage the process in a way that is counter-productive to national security, to our humanitarian obligation, and the overall ability to focus on Homeland Security".[3]
Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini pointed out that the Paris attackers were EU citizens, not Syrian refugees.[4]
Barack Obama threatened to veto the legislation if passed.[3]
References
- 1 2 "H.R.4038 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)". Congress.gov. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ↑ "House votes to curb Syrian refugees, snubs Obama veto threat". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- 1 2 Perez, Evan. "First on CNN: FBI Director James Comey balks at refugee legislation". CNN.com. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ↑ Hock, Dylan. "Paris Attackers Weren’t Refugees, According to Top EU Official". U.S. Uncut. Retrieved 22 November 2015.