The recent refugee crisis in Europe, coupled with the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and other cities around the world, has spurred a heated debate over our reaction to these events – mainly whether the United States should accept more refugees from Syria.
While Church leaders have repeatedly asserted our moral obligation to help refugee families in need, some politicians have warned of the potential danger of terrorist attacks on our soil if we are too generous in resettling Syrian refugees here. More than 30 governors have expressed unwillingness to accept refugees and members of Congress passed a resolution that would halt further acceptance of these people in the U.S.
As a consequence, many Christians are faced with the dilemma of supporting the intake of refugees out of our Christian generosity on the one hand, and supporting stricter limits to immigration out of our responsibility to protect the American population from terrorist violence on the other. However, this perceived dilemma is largely the result of misinformation and unfounded fears. There is reason to believe that accepting more Syrian refugees could actually make our country safer.
Evidence suggests that refugees are no threat to American citizens and do not increase the likelihood of a future terrorist attack. To be granted refugee status, a person must go through a screening process that involves the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the FBI, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and other national intelligence agencies – each of which reviews candidates independently in a thorough screening process which takes 1-3 years, all while the refugee applicant remains outside the U.S.
This screening process has proven very effective. Since 2001, the U.S. has accepted approximately 800,000 refugees from around the world, and only three people have been charged with a connection to a terrorist group abroad (according to the Migration Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.). None of the persons admitted through the U.S. refugee screening process have actually committed or conspired to commit an act of terrorism on American soil. In addition, the Migration Policy Institute and the Pew Research Center both consistently show that refugees and other legal immigrants living here commit significantly fewer crimes than native-born Americans.
The vast majority of terrorists tend to be home-grown citizens from marginalized communities in their native countries. Those terrorists who were born outside the U.S. and committed crimes in our country usually traveled here on student or tourist visas – a much easier way for them to enter the U.S. than going through the very lengthy refugee screening process. Furthermore, in this globalized world, terrorist attacks tend to be organized from outside the target countries, and thus the terrorist masterminds have no need to ever cross American borders. They usually connect with radicalized citizens but not with refugees, who have their own horrific experiences with these groups from which they are trying to flee.
Accepting Syrian refugees will not only not increase the risk of a terrorist attack in our country, it will most likely help fight terrorism and defeat ISIS. It is the strategy of Islamic extremist groups such as ISIS to recruit as many Muslims as possible and to frame their conflict in terms of Islam versus the West. Rejecting refugees fleeing from war-torn countries just plays into their perverted narrative.
The best strategy for winning any war is to maximize the amount of allies and to minimize the number of enemies. By integrating peaceful and desperate Muslims into our societies, we would be doing exactly that, and at the same time isolating these terrorist organizations. By accepting them and integrating them into our society, we are giving them the chance to start new lives in peace and freedom, and they become less motivated to join terrorist groups out of fear and desperation.
Furthermore, to effectively fight the international threat of terrorism, America cannot stand alone. We desperately need to strengthen alliances with other countries. Our European partners are overwhelmed with the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers streaming into their countries, which has prompted serious security and humanitarian concerns. By welcoming our share of refugees, we will strengthen our international credibility and show our commitment to leading the global fight against terrorism. We cannot be a credible world partner, much less a leader, if we do not share in the effort to alleviate this crisis caused by the massive exodus of desperate people seeking safety from the violence of these extremist groups.
There are two very compelling reasons for welcoming them with open arms. First, it is our basic moral obligation to aid desperate people who are escaping violence in their homelands. As Christians, it should be easy for us to identify with the plight of the Syrian refugees, especially at this time of year when we commemorate the Holy Family fleeing to safety in Egypt. Second, accepting more Syrian refugees and providing them with a new future is the best and most effective political strategy to fight terrorism and make our country safer over the long run.
Dr. Kamila Valenta is a member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and a part-time professor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where she teaches ethnic conflict.