http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/260294-paul-moving-to-halt-refugee-visasNovember 16, 2015, 03:12 pm
Paul moving to halt refugee visas
By Ben Kamisar
Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), a GOP presidential candidate, is proposing a bill to impose an "immediate moratorium on visas for refugees" in light of last week's terror attacks in Paris.
"The best way to defend the country from attackers that don't really have an army, but come here as individuals, is to prevent their access into this country," Paul told reporters on Monday.
"It is about time, and I think Paris should wake us up to the fact that we can't just let anyone come to this country," he added.
The bill would also halt all visas, including those for students and tourists, from about 30 countries that have "significant jihadist movements," according to Paul. The restriction would be lifted once Congress certifies that a country has complete control over who is entering and exiting the country.
It would also institute a 30-day waiting period for visas from countries that are currently part of America's Visa Waiver Program, which include France.
The GOP presidential candidates have largely called for America to reexamine its refugee policies, especially for those coming from Syria, in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris that killed more than 100 and injured more than 300. Multiple news reports have linked at least one of the attackers to the Syrian refugee crisis.
