Letter: Study refugee vetting process

I read the informative guest opinion by Caleb Gates ('System to admit newcomers already extreme, onerous,” Feb. 26). It was well-written, well-researched and enlightening.

I agree our vetting process is extreme and onerous. I don't know if I, a lifelong, proud citizen of this country, could endure this 3-5 year involved process. I challenge my fellow citizens to read this article and decide if they could. I see videos in the news of women and children in refugee camps and it is heartbreaking. The U.S. is wealthy and generous and could help these families. We are better than this.

So, why is the administration spending millions of dollars to make the process more severe; why are they ramping up fear in our immigrant community (children included); why are they targeting Muslim countries when the CATO Institute (a highly respected organization) estimates that 'since 1975, no person admitted as a refugee to the U.S. has carried out a fatal terrorist attack on American soil. Reports circulating online that say otherwise are false”?

We are spending time and money inappropriately because our president and his followers have the unsubstantiated view that refugees are out to threaten our well-being and safety. They need to educate themselves on the vetting process. I will bet they haven't.

Sheila Dalton

West Branch