This afternoon’s edition of The World on PRI featured an interview with IRAP’s Director, Becca Heller, about how fears of terrorism are making it impossible for vulnerable refugees to find safety.
“The process that refugees go through to get vetted is more extensive than anyone else coming into the United States,” explained Heller. “If you’re a terrorist and you’re any good at your job and you’re trying to get into the U.S., you are not using the refugee process. Most of the refugees that are trying to come in are themselves victims of the terrorists that we’re trying to fight.”
Heller discussed the need for the United States to step up its efforts to resettle more Syrians: “Refugees are inherently survivors. They’re people who have been through things that we can’t even imagine and who have gotten themselves out of those situations and into a neighboring country. They are fighting so hard to try to start better lives. And we really owe them better than this.”
You can listen to the full interview and program on PRI’s website.
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