"We have a very strong resettlement programme into the US and it includes Syrian refugees. We are concerned that the rhetoric that is being used in the (US) election campaign is putting an incredibly important resettlement programme at risk that is meant for the most vulnerable people," said Melissa Fleming, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency.
Apart from that, governors in 30 states across the US, including Illinois, Florida, Maryland and Massachusetts, in November this year, asked for a halt to the Syrian resettlement programme citing security concerns.
"It is the most stringent screening process on earth," Fleming said, referring to the refugee screening process which takes up to two years.
The UNHCR chooses the most vulnerable of the refugees- victims of torture, single women, children with medical problems-and refers them to the resettlement countries. The resettlement country then starts a screening process.
"It takes two years to go through all of the screening steps with the different agencies in the US system before being admitted to the US. It would be a shame if this were halted at a time when we actually need the world to step up and to help the victims of terrorism and the violence that is driving so many people from their homes," the official said.
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