The United States is a "welcoming nation," Sen. Joni Ernst said Wednesday, but there needs to be a pause in bringing Syrian refugees into the country because they cannot be properly vetted. However, President Barack Obama would be admitting that he has failed in the Middle East if he approves that move.
"He has not destroyed ISIS," the Iowa Republican told
Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "That's why we have this refugee crisis. We need a president that will stand up and clearly communicate a strategy which will destroy ISIS, not degrade it or contain it, but destroy it."
Refugees seeking asylum in the United States are normally vetted thoroughly, Ernst said, but "when you have a country such as Syria, not willing to provide the background documents, it is very hard to ensure that they are properly vetted."
She pointed out that there was a pause in accepting refugees after the 9/11 attacks, and last Friday's attacks in France are "a very similar circumstance."
While mostly Republicans are calling for a pause, Ernst said she believes several Democrats will also agree, and there are number of people who "will agree with us privately."
"We'll have to see what pressure from the White House brings to our friends across the aisle," she said. "But, again, they need to understand that all of our citizens could be at risk if we're not properly vetting these refugees."