Biometrics Quote by James Comey
“Our process inside the United States government has gotten much better at making sure we touch all possible source of information about a refugee. The interview process has gotten more robust, so we've gotten our act together in that respect. The challenge remains, especially with respect to folks coming from Syria, we're unlikely to have anything in our holdings. That is, with people coming from Iraq, the United States government was there for a very long period of time. We had biometrics, we had source information. We're unlikely to have that kind of picture about someone coming from Syria.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Congressional testimony, 2016
U.S. refugee vetting improved, but gaps remain for Syrian arrivals due to lack of historical data.
In simple terms: Refugee checks better, Syrian data missing.
Key Takeaway
Address data gaps for Syrian refugees.
Themes
security
immigration
policy
humanitarian
Mood
concerned
analytical
Type
policy
statement
When to use this quote
- refugee admissions
- policy planning
- interagency coordination
Key Concepts
biometrics
intelligence
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we build reliable data for new source populations?
- What alternative sources could fill the Syrian data gap?
A Different Perspective
Limited historical records hinder comprehensive vetting.
![“The specific question was visa overstays.Current federal law requires a biometric exit-entry system when you come in on a visa. And the [Barack] Obama administration is just ignoring federal law. Forty percent of illegal immigration is not people who cross the borders illegally. It's people who…” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a11/ted-cruz-487_administration_the-specific-question-was-visa-overstays_1361075.jpg)
