Ryan: Security test — not religious test — for immigrants is ‘preferred route’

By CNS News | June 15, 2016, 6:12 EDT

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. speaks in (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

(CNSNews.com) – House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on Tuesday that immigrants who want to enter the United States as refugees should be thoroughly vetted for security reasons and that religion should play no role in that vetting.

“We believe, ultimately, that we ought to have the tools where we have a security test – not a religious test – a security test,” Ryan said at a briefing with reporters at the Capitol, “and we think that’s the preferred route to go.”

CNSNews.com asked Ryan: “Should there be an actual ban – regardless of religion – on immigrants from countries that have terrorist ties and that we know are spreading terrorist ideology?”

“Well again, we’ve addressed part of this issue with the visa waiver,” Ryan said. “We thought there was a problem where you had people from different countries with a visa waiver where they could come without even a visa.

“We passed a law addressing that, but we believe ultimately that we ought to have the tools where we have a security test – not a religious test – a security test,” Ryan said, “and we think that’s the preferred route to go.”

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in his remarks that the terror attack in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday that killed 49 people and wounded dozens more is an attack on the whole country.

“The homeland is under attack,” McCaul said.

— Written by Penny Starr