Governor Bill Walker attended a teleconferenced briefing about the policies and procedures of admitting Syrian refugees into the United States today with other U.S. governors in Washington D.C.
The National Governors Association coordinated the event as an effort to educate governors and it was hosted by officials from the White House, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. State Department to address concerns.
Walker stated, “I heard from White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and other federal officials today about the stringent vetting process that foreign refugees go through before ever entering the United States. While I understand the issue of allowing refugees into our country and our state lands solely with the federal government, I will remain focused on making sure the vetting process we were briefed on today remains the most stringent refugee vetting process in the world.”
Since 2011, around 2,000 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the U.S. None have settled in Alaska.
The process for relocation as a Syrian refugee can take up to two years, and requires rigorous background checks by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Additionally, women and children are given preference, and single Iraqi and Syrian men between the ages of 16 and 50 must go through additional security screening before being accepted.
Once granted refugee status in the United States, nongovernmental organizations on contract with the U.S. State Department determine where the refugees will be sent.
The Catholic Social Services’ Refugee Assistance Immigration Services program coordinates resettlement in Alaska, which receives about 120 refugees each year from war torn countries like Somalia, Burma, Sudan, the Congo, and Iraq.
Governor Walker issued a statement saying, “I am committed to working with the federal government to ensure the highest level of safety for the citizens of Alaska and the United States, and I want to make sure Alaska officials play a role in refugee relocations efforts in our state.”