Throughout its history, America has proven itself to be a nation of immigrants. It was founded by immigrants, and immigrants have played an important role in the development of America. Also, America is known as the place which has welcomed refugees when they have suffered in their own countries. According to the U.S. Department of State, there have been more than 650,000 displaced Europeans given admission into America with refugee status. Millions of people from China, Cuba, the former Soviet Union, Hungary, Korea, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Vietnam fleeing Communism have been welcomed to America.
By February 2016, millions of refugees from Syria fled their homes because of the Syrian Civil War. To find asylum, the refugees migrated into European countries, such as Turkey, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Middle Eastern countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and many countries around the world. They are very welcomed in these countries. America, however, literally slammed the door to the refugees by currently making the vetting process for coming into the country very extensive to complete. It takes up to twenty-four months, on average, for one person to complete the extensive background check process (Collin,17). Recently, after the Paris attack in November 2015, Congress introduced a bill, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act, adding an extra layer for the vetting process, and it easily passed the House (Domonoske). The reason for expanding the process is to protect American citizens from terrorists. But this fear should be overcome and replaced with the core value of the Nation; in specific, America should open a wider door for the Syrian refugees, especially elders, women, and children, coming into the country by making the vetting process shorter and simpler.
First, the refugees put their lives in danger for escaping the violence and the extremism, not for expanding them.