The House Judiciary Committee advanced the Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act of 2016 this week.
The legislation aims to adjust regulations on refugees, specifically the refugee allowance cap. U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), who serves on the Judiciary Committee and helped with markup on the bill before the committee advanced it, explains its function.
“Under current law, the president has full discretion to set the refugee cap. H.R. 4731 moves that authority to Congress by statutorily setting the refugee ceiling at 60,000 per year, which Congress can choose to adjust based on recommendations from the White House," Collins said. "Under the bill, without congressional approval, that number cannot be adjusted.”
The bill also forbids the federal government from forcing local jurisdictions into accepting refugees.
“We also must empower states and localities to determine on their own if they are able and willing to accommodate refugees," Collins said. "Under this bill, state and local governments will be allowed to refuse attempts by the administration to resettle refugees in their communities.”
In addition, the bill aims to beef up systems for screening out terrorists.
“Additionally, it requires the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to implement a strong fraud detection program for documents, and more transparent screening procedures for those seeking refuge in this country, including reviewing social media postings of applicants," Collins said. "If violence from groups like ISIS is going to continue, we need a tough screening process to adequately vet those fleeing terrorism, and make sure that those we allow here truly meet the standards set for admittance as refugees."
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