Radicalized Refugees and Risks

It is not unreasonable for public policy experts here in the U.S. to consider the threat posed by radicalization. The United States is the main target of international terrorism and largest donor of refugee aid. Therefore, it is a valid function of think-tanks to formulate analysis to attempt to mitigate the risk. There are a wide variety of opinions on how this can be accomplished. The RAND analysis is only one of them. Should we wait until another significant attack has taken place before we consider options? I think not. The discussion has been brought to the forefront as the current administration has fast-tracked the application process for Syrian refugees. As such, it represents a significant issue in the upcoming election. May I suggest that by the time the vetting process is conducted it may be too late?

            Consider the following. Pakistani citizen Tashfeen Malik entered the U.S. on a K-1 fianacé visa. She was merely asked to check a box as to whether she belonged to a terrorist organization or whether she planned to engage in terrorist activities. She filled out the forms entered the country and went on to murder 14 innocent people in San Bernardino with her U.S. born husband (Goodenough). Granted, this is not a refugee asylum situation, however, it speaks to the ease by which radicalized Islamic-Terrorists can enter the country and the damage that can be done when only one person succeeds. Is the vetting process any different for Syrian refugees?

            A member of the terrorist cell that carried out the Paris attacks where 132 innocents were killed was a Syrian citizen that entered through Greece secreted among the large number of refugees fleeing the war-torn country. This has caused many here at home to question whether our own vetting processes are adequate to prevent such an attack. The evidence suggests that so far they are. Of the 750,000 refugees granted asylum since September 11, 2001 only two have been charged with terrorist activity. Only 2% have been single males of combat age. The administration claims that Syrian applicants undergo the most stringent vetting of any group entering the country. In fact, about half of all applicants are turned down (Altman).

            I have demonstrated that the threat of radicalized persons have used refugee migrations to gain entry into Western countries where they pose a significant risk. I have shown that our vetting process is actually pretty good. But to the families of the victims in Paris, San Bernardino, NYC, pretty good doesn’t cut it. Seeking solutions towards reducing the risk of radicalization in refugee populations before they are vetted is a reasonable line of inquiry.

            If the RAND Corporation’s suggestions should be refused based on their political disposition then let’s look elsewhere. After all, the goal is finding effective solutions. Francisco Martin-Rayo is an expert in counter-radicalization at the Harvard Kennedy School. He has concluded that education of displaced populations is the key and that the U.S. should take a leading role. His contention is that by educating refugees you can create an atmosphere “where their new ideas reduce the space for extremist actors to operate and make it more difficult for them to spread their ideology. Crisis situations should be seen as an opportunity” (Martin-Rayo). I feel as though this is an interesting perspective, one among many options we have every right (and civic duty) to consider.

            There are a variety of informed opinions on the current crisis. Whether possible solutions are sourced from conservative think-tanks or otherwise should not prevent considerations of their ideas in the open marketplace of thought. It may be that some amalgamation from a number of sources may be needed to mitigate the real risk posed by radicalized persons entering the U.S. lest we once again realize the carnage experienced recently in Paris on our own soil.

Works Cited

Altman, Alex. "This Is How the Syrian Refugee Screening Process Works." Time. Time, n.d.      Web. 30 Sept. 2016. <http://time.com/4116619/syrian-refugees-screening-process/>.

Goodenough, Patrick. "Visa Application Asks: ‘Do You Seek to Engage in Terrorist Activities        While in the United States?’." CNS News. N.p., 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. .

Martin-Rayo, Francisco. "Countering Radicalization in Refugee Camps: How Education Can      Help Defeat AQAP." Working Paper, The Dubai Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and      International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.