On Nov. 19, the House of Representatives voted strongly in favor of the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act 2015, or the American SAFE Act of 2015, which would effectively bar Syrian refugees from entering the country. The bill requires the secretary of Homeland Security, the head of the FBI and the director of intelligence to sign off on each and every individual entering the country from the region in an effort to mitigate terrorism. Similarly, on Nov. 14, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker expressed that he would ‘certainly say no’ to the admission of Syrian refugees into the state ‘until I know a lot more than I know now,” according to WBUR, Boston’s NPR News Station. Do you support the American SAFE Act and what should the U.S. do, if anything, to aid in the Syrian refugee crisis?

Prof. Leigh Swigart (PAX)

I disagree with the SAFE Act. The Human Rights consortium FIDH recently issued a statement warning against the temptation to curtail human rights guarantees in response to acts of terrorism. Protection of refugees is one of these guarantees, to which the United States has acceded. It is unreasonable to paint all Syrian refugees as potential terrorists because one of the Paris attackers entered Europe under the guise of a refugee. What would be our reaction if European countries shut down visits by all American citizens because, at alarmingly regular intervals, there are individuals on our territory who take it upon themselves to commit acts of domestic terrorism? Should all Americans consequently be seen as potential mass murderers? We would be outraged. In a Brandeis event on Dec. 2 entitled ‘After Paris: ISIS and the US,’ a research fellow of the Crown Center cautioned that the rejection of Syrian refugees is exactly what ISIS wants as a reaction to their recent attacks. We should honor our responsibilities and resettle Syrian refugees in the US.

Prof. Leigh Swigart (PAX) is the director of Programs in International Justice and Society at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life.

Chen Arad

Compassion and a sense of responsibility on the one hand and prudence on the other should guide American leadership as it considers the best way to address the Syrian humanitarian crisis. Without a question, the United States and countries worldwide must be wary of terrorism. The recent vote by congress in favor of the SAFE Act accordingly addresses the ever-growing need to be cautious when welcoming refugees. However, the act seems to be absent of the compassion deserved by people who lost everything to the same kind of terrorism. To maintain security while also living up to its humanitarian values, America must complement the SAFE Act with an effective effort to expedite screening processes as well as a broader policy ensuring that both the refugee issue and Syrian crisis as a whole are addressed by the world community.

Chen Arad is a MA/MBA candidate at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. He traveled to the Syrian-Jordanian border, where he met Syrian refugees.


Mark Gimelstein ’17

While well-intentioned, the SAFE Act suffers from unignorable flaws. To the naked eye, the law ensures a triple check for terrorist affiliations on every Syrian refugee who comes into America. However, behind the smoke and mirrors of seemingly common sense measures, it’s clear that this process is impossible to actually execute successfully. When pressed during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on how the FBI intended to vet every Syrian refugee, Director James Comey responded: “We can query our database until the cows come home, but [nothing will] show up because we have no record of them.” The crux of the problem is that this “solution” does nothing to change the underlying conditions on the ground in Syria and other ISIS strongholds. Until we have a president willing to call ISIS what is it and begin a campaign to defeat them and their enablers and allies, refugee crises like the one we deal with today will continue in perpetuity.

Mark Gimelstein ’17 is a columnist for the Justice. He is also the vice president of Brandeis Conservatives.

Christa Caggiano ’17

I do not support the American SAFE Act, nor do I think our international obligations permit such a bill. The United States is privy to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Drafted after World War II, a lot of the language directly deals with people who are fleeing a violent and despotic regime like the Jews during the Holocaust and Syrians now. In fact, the UDHR stresses the right to asylum several times. In article 14, it states clearly, “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” It also states in article 22, “Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation, ... the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.” As a member of the security council, it is America’s responsibility to uphold and campaign for the sanctity of international human rights. The rights of Syrian refugees should be no different.
Christa Caggiano ’17 is the former co-president of Brandeis Amnesty International.

Lubayed Aljundi


The Syrian refugees crisis in the USA is highly misguided and consumed in the American domestic political sphere. It is indeed a 'partisan issue'. There is no point in adding greater security procedures.The route of refugees to Europe is quite different from the route to the U.S. Refugees can access EU countries through Greece from Turkey without proper security procedures..Most vulnerable refugees ― largely made up of women and children― are unable to afford the cost of the trip, they have to pass through the UN's refugee agency and they have to wait for longer periods.The wave of fear from Syrian refugees in the USA is triggered by Paris attacks. However, the most available information about the attacks indicates that the terrorists are French and the assaults are planned and guided by the Islamic State. The Syrian refugees in the USA are no threat to security. The refugee debate in the USA is merely about American foreign policy in the Middle East and the spreading Islamphobia in the country and has nothing to do with refugees.

Lubayed Aljundi HS ’15 is an MA Candidate in Coexistence and Conflict and Sustainable International Development at the Heller School. He is from Syria.