Just 26 countries have a program to resettle refugees leaving a brutal civil war in Syria. The U.S. has tightened it’s approval process amid terrorism fears and so far has only taken in about 500.

CCTV America’s Jessica Stone filed this report from Washington, D.C.

More than half of the people in Syria have left their homes to escape a bloody civil war that has been raging for quite some time. While most have moved to other parts of Syria, nearly four million live in neighboring nations in refugee camps. They may have escaped the daily shelling, but conditions, especially in places like Lebanon, can be quite harsh.

For some, there will never be a homecoming to the rubble they left behind.

Daryl Grisgraber of the advocacy group Refugees International recently spent time in the region. She has seen firsthand the challenges refugees face.

“It’s a tough life, for sure,” Grisgraber said. “I think [it’s] getting tougher as time wears on because there’s less and less funding for their assistance all the time.”

So far, the United States has allowed 500 Syrian refugees to permanently resettle there, but the government wants to increase that to 2,000 by the end of 2015 and continue allowing in more refugees in 2016.

The chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security and other U.S. intelligence officials are raising alarm suggesting that fighters from the Islamic militant group, ISIL in Syria could infiltrate the U.S. by posing as approved Syrian refugees or radicalize them to attack within the United States.

“I think this would be a huge mistake if we bring these refugees into the United States that could potentially be radicalized,” Rep. Michael McCaul, R-TX said.

The U.S. State Department said the screening process is rigorous, involving multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies and utilizes every database the nation has.

“Refugees are the most carefully vetted of all travelers to the United States,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said. “Every refugee, under consideration for admission to the United States, undergoes the same intensive security screening involving multiple federal intelligence, security, and law enforcement agencies.”

U.S. officials admitted, back in 2009 two Iraqi war refugees, accepted in to the U.S., were later connected to a bombing in Iraq. The FBI said, as a result, the vetting system was tightened.

Will Haney discusses Syrian refugees need for stability

CCTV America’s Mike Walter interviewed Associate Director of Church World Service’s Immigration and Refugee Program Will Haney.
The organization provides legal and religious services to refugees and immigrants.