Expect a contentious hearing today on Syrian refugees at the House Judiciary Committee, Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard, who is in charge of the refugee program, has been summoned to explain the process for vetting refugees being considered for admission.
Members of Congress are concerned that because the United States doesn’t have significant presence on the ground in Syria, little information about people from there is available. FBI Director James Comey has warned of “certain gaps” in the data used by the government to screen refugees.
Those “gaps” came up in a classified briefing given to House members this week by Richard. She struggled to provide the assurances they were looking for, and didn’t much beyond her “human rights” talking points. Two members who were there told me the briefing was “useless” and finally members became so exasperated with her that half of them got up and left the briefing room.