The Paris bombings and other recent terrorist attacks have given rise to a political debate within the United States about the Obama administration’s plan to admit Syrian refugees. But the facts about refugees are being distorted in some instances.
The fourth Republican presidential debate featured fewer candidates, but no shortage of factual missteps.
Ted Cruz misrepresented the words of the U.S. national intelligence director, claiming that James Clapper “said among those [Syrian] refugees are no doubt a significant number of ISIS terrorists.” Clapper didn’t say that.
Donald Trump keeps saying he “heard” the Obama administration plans to accept 200,000 Syrian refugees. He misheard, because that’s inaccurate.
Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson and Scott Walker, who oppose President Obama’s plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees, stretched the facts to support their policy position.
Q: Are 65,000 Syrian refugees being relocated to the U.S.?
A: No. The Obama administration says 1,000 to 2,000 Syrians will likely be resettled in the United States by the end of September, and at least 10,000 more in 2016.
Q: Was H.R. 1388 passed “behind our backs”?
A: This latest e-rumor is a double-header. It recycles one false claim and alludes to another. We’ve debunked both before.
Q: Do immigrants and refugees get more in benefits than a retired U.S. citizen gets in Social Security?
A: This is nonsense. The claims propagated by a viral e-mail are not even close to the truth.
Q: Did Obama pay for Hamas-affiliated terrorists to emigrate to the United States?
A: This claim is false. The president’s memorandum to the State Department would pay for refugee assistance in Gaza, not for transporting anyone to the U.S.
Q: Does the U.S. pay $1,800 a month to refugees?
A: No. A false claim about Canada is being recycled in a bogus e-mail to “American taxpayers.”