US Republicans concerned about 'extremists' in refugee ranks

As the US plans to take in some 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next fiscal year, some Republican lawmakers have said that granting refugees asylum increases the danger of Islamic State militants entering the country.

Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, warned that the armed group could sneak in with the refugees fleeing the conflict.

"From a national security standpoint, I take ISIS at its word when they said, in their own words, 'We'll use and exploit the refugee crisis to infiltrate the West.' That concerns me," McCaul told ABC television's "This Week" program.

But retired general John Allen, speaking on the same news program, said he is confident in the refugee-vetting procedures in place.

"I have to tell you, I have tremendous confidence in the work that has been, and is being done" by US security agencies.

Every refugee seeking asylum in the US has to go through an 18 month process, including interviews with US officials in refugee camps, reviews by at least four US counterterrorism agencies and a number of medical tests.

"Refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States," a State Department official said on Friday.

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, currently polling second within his party, also expressed concern about how refugees coming into the United States would be vetted.

"Bringing in people from the Middle East right now carries extra danger. And we have to be extra cautious," Carson said.

Just over 1,800 Syrian refugees have been accepted into the US since the civil war in their country began. More than four million people have fled the fighting.