Chad’s Morning Brief: Homeland Security Officials Say Terrorists Could Exploit Refugee Program

Terror fears during the holiday season. The Chad Hasty Show airs 8:30-11am on 790AM KFYO.

Terrorists Could Exploit Refugee Program

According to FOX News, the Department of Homeland Security admitted that the refugee program could be exploited by terrorists.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged this week that terrorists could in fact try to infiltrate the country’s refugee system, giving a nod to congressional concerns that have mounted for weeks about potential gaps in the programs.

“We do have to be concerned about the possibility that a terrorist organization may seek to exploit our refugee resettlement process,” he said Wednesday. “This is true of this country, that’s true of every other country that accepts refugees.”

In saying so, Johnson stressed that the Obama administration is continuing to reevaluate the program, and has done so with refugees from Iraq and Syria. He made the comments while officially updating the DHS terrorism alert system -- issuing a bulletin reminding Americans about the ongoing concerns regarding an attack on U.S. soil. “As we saw in the recent attacks in San Bernardino and Paris, terrorists will consider a diverse and wide selection of targets for attacks,” the bulletin said.

The comments are likely to fuel the Capitol Hill push for changes to the refugee vetting system.

We need to make sure that the vetting system is airtight and we must stop being politically correct about all this. Of course terrorists will attempt to exploit the system.

Obama Monitoring Threats

According to CNN, President Obama is attempting to show the public that he and the federal government are on top of the situation when it comes to terrorism and threats during this holiday season.

President Barack Obama continues a week-long push to underscore his command of national security threats, traveling Thursday to the suburban headquarters of his counterterrorism command center for a briefing on holiday safety.

It's rare for Obama to visit the National Counterterrorism Center, housed in an unmarked building amid corporate headquarters in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Typically, Obama receives a briefing on Christmastime terror threats in the White House Situation Room.

But amid heightened fears of an attack on U.S. soil, prompted by the ISIS-inspired attack in San Bernardino, California, Obama has made a public show of preparedness.

He visited the Pentagon Monday for an update on military progress against the terror group and has tasked the Department of Homeland Security with updating its system for communicating potential threats to the American people.

"We are hitting ISIL harder than ever," Obama said at the Pentagon. "ISIL leaders cannot hide. And our next message to them is simple: You are next."

The administration insists there are currently no credible terror threats to the homeland but concede the potential for "lone wolf" attacks remain.

I already feel safer, don't you? The President and the government should have been more proactive years ago, but that probably wouldn't have fit the narrative.