We are thrilled to share a piece published today in The Hill by IRAP board member and president of The Truman Project, Michael Breen. Breen, a former US Army officer well-versed in security issues, brings much-needed perspective to the debate on the America SAFE Act. The SAFE Act would effectively shut down resettlement for those fleeing persecution in Iraq and Syria.
“Lawmakers are right to be concerned about security,” Breen writes. “But after a detailed look at this bill – and after seeing for myself the security measures already in place at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan last week – it is crystal clear that the perversely named America SAFE Act would do nothing but damage to our national security…
“The act provides no additional resources to security agencies, mandates no additional checks, and plugs no gaps in an already redundant system; all it does is require higher-level government officials and more administrative offices to sign off on every single refugee’s file. Call it the ‘DMV theory of national security.’”
Breen’s expertise is extremely valuable in the midst of a heated debate around refugee resettlement and national security. You can read the full article here. Please be sure to share it widely with your networks.