Leaders consider options on how to handle Syrian refugees

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From the governor's office to the halls of Congress, elected leaders say they're being swamped with calls about what do with Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the terror attacks in France.

"There are folks who just want to shut off all immigration. There are folks who want to shut off immigration for Syrians, folks who want to shut off immigration in the Muslim community," said South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney.

Passions continue to run high.

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Rowan County Rep. Carl Ford sent an email to the governor's office, saying, "Please refuse any more Syrian refugees and deport the 44 that have been accepted."

He backed off that request Tuesday, saying, "I just wanted to get people's attention."

He still supports a new round of background and security checks.

"Maybe you don't deport them," Ford said. “Maybe you at least, let's check them out again."

Gov. Pat McCrory, who Monday called on the president to cease sending Syrian refugees to North Carolina, said Tuesday that he continues to believe President Barack Obama's administration isn't sharing enough information about refugees being allowed to enter the U.S. from Middle Eastern countries. He said he's been told the White House is setting up a conference call for Tuesday evening to talk with governors and to “finally communicate with us and respect our concerns."

The terror in France has made many people concerned for their safety.

History and immigration expert Jurgen Buchenau said Americans have a checkered history in dealing with immigrants and refugees.

"We've had waves of xenophobia or hostility toward immigration from time to time. It's not surprising to me that those voices come up," Buchenau said.

Scrutiny swirls around refugee vetting process

Senior Obama administration officials opened up Tuesday about the refugee vetting process that has drawn scrutiny since the Paris terror attacks.

Thirty governors have now called for the U.S. to halt sending refugees to their states.

Critics call the move a knee-jerk reaction.

"Gov. [Pat] McCrory as well as other governors across the country are exploiting a tragedy," said Ana Suarez, with the Latin American Coalition.

But McCrory says he's protecting the state. In a news conference Monday, he cited reports that one of the Paris attacked might have snuck in with Syrian refugees. He was skeptical about the vetting process.

"The federal government has made statements that they do a thorough security check," McCrory said. "I don't know how that's done and we'd like more collaboration telling us exactly what they have done."

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, administration officials said the process was the toughest method to legally enter the United States.

Officials said the process, which typically takes 18-24 months, starts with the United Nations Human Rights Commission determining if a person qualifies as a refugee.

If assigned to the U.S., officials run the persons background information and fingerprint against databases of agencies like the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.

Officials also interview the applicants.

Senior administration officials said there is additional screening for refugees from Syria and Iraq.

Officials said they plan to discuss the methods with governors.

The process has drawn scrutiny even before the Paris terror attacks.

FBI Director James Comey brought up the issue at a congressional hearing last month. He told lawmakers "If someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them."

While the group of governors have called for the U.S. to halt sending refugees to their states, it's up to the federal government to decide whether to act on those demands. States have no power in regards to the refugee program.

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