.. a January 20. 2016 The Honorable Ron Johnson The Honorable Tom Carper United States Senate United States Senate 328 Hart Senate Of?ce Building 513 Hart Senate Of?ce Building Washington, DC 205 I 0-4905 Washington. DC 20510-0303 Dear Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Carper, I note with interest that the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will devote its January 27"] meeting to discuss Canada?s response to the refugee crisis in Syria. 1 hope the information included here will help inform yo?ur discussion and answer any questions you may have. Canada and the United States both have a proud humanitarian tradition that includes a strong commitment to refugee resettlement. Our two countries have long worked together in responding to humanitarian crises. as we did in the latter half of the 20"h century welcoming refugees fleeing oppressive regimes in Hungary. Vietnam and Cambodia. We have also worked together on the airlift of Kosovar refugees in 1999, and more recently following the Haiti earthquake in 2010. Protecting the security ofCanadians, and by extension our American neighbours, while also providing protection to individuals who have been devastated by the war in Syria are key factors guiding the Government of Canada?s refugee resettlement plan. Rest assured that no corners, including security screening. are being cut in order to achieve the Government's objectives. Rather, the government has devoted signi?cant resources to this effort, which includes the deployment ofmilitary, law enforcement. immigration and border security of?cers. In keeping with our focus on security. you should know that: I Each refugee undergoes multiple security screenings at one ofour overseas operations centers. 0 This includes the collection of biographic information and biometrics. which are checked against Canadian and US. immigration. law enforcement and security databases. 0 Each applicant is also interviewed by a professional. experienced visa of?cer. I If Canadian of?cials have any concerns whatsoever. an application is set aside zero tolerance. Iv Applicants? identi?cation and biometrics are checked and re-checked throughout the screening process. including before boarding planes for Canada and again upon arrival. I Canada is prioritizing vulnerable re?igees who are a low security risk, such as women at risk and complete families. This is consistent with Canada?s overall approach to refugee resettlement. 0 Once in Canada, the refugees will not be free to travel to the United States. They will require a visa to travel to the U.S. As refugees arrive in Canada, they are provided with immediate, essential services and long-term settlement support to ensure their successful integration into Canadian society. Since November 24, 20 5, Canadians have welcomed over 10,000 refugees. I would like to take this opportunity to also point out the existing strong cooperation between our two countries on information sharing, making operational improvements at the border, and denying terrorists the ability to use either country as a transit point or to circumvent restrictions imposed by the other. Together, we have implemented a number of measures to support the safety and integrity ofour shared border, including: I An automated capability to exchange visa and immigration information, which reduces identity fraud and enhances eligibility and admissibility decisions before applicants arrive in North America; I Cross-border maritime law enforcement teams, "Shipriders", consisting of U.S. Coast Guard and RCMP of?cers, that transit back and forth across the international boundary line to enforce the law on both sides of the border; I Integrated Border Enforcement Teams that bring together Canadian and U.S. law enforcement in 24 locations along our border to jointly manage land, air and marine environments between ports of entry; and I The sharing of information along our shared land border on non-citizens in a secure and systematic fashion. It?s important to remember that the 9f11 Commission, created by Congress and the President, concluded that none of the hijackers entered the U.S. through Canada. Securing our North American neighborhood against security threats is a shared responsibility and a permanent priority for both countries. Should you have any questions on our security cooperation with the United States, please do not hesitate to be in touch. Gary Doer Ambassador cc: The Honorable Kelly Ayotte The Honorable Tammy Baldwin The Honorable Cory A. Booker The Honorable Michael B. Enzi The Honorable Joni Ernst The Honorable Heidi Heitkamp The Honorable James Lankford The Honorable John McCain The Honorable Claire MeCaskill The Honorable Rand Paul The Honorable Gary Peters The Honorable Rob Portman The Honorable Ben Sasse The Honorable Jon Tester