Schumer: Refugee pause may be necessary

Sen. Charles SchumerCharles SchumerSchumer to make appearance on Fox News Former GOP senator lobbying for Gorsuch's nomination Cruz: WH plan for 'third prong' health legislation won't work in Senate MORE (N.Y.), the third ranking member of the Senate Democratic leadership, on Tuesday said it may be necessary to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States.

Republicans immediately seized on Schumer’s comment, which breaks with other Democrats who have argued against halting the program.

Schumer, however, declined to take the option off the table ahead of a special briefing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon on the process that is now used to vet refugees entering the United States.

“We’re waiting for the briefing tomorrow, a pause may be necessary. We’re going to look at it,” he said.

Schumer is widely expected to become leader of Senate Democrats in the next Congress, after Senate Minority Leader Harry ReidHarry ReidPerez creates advisory team for DNC transition Reid told Warren to run for president in 2020: report Don't be fooled: Carper and Norton don't fight for DC MORE (Nev.) retires.

A spokeswoman for Speaker Paul RyanPaul RyanTrump makes pitch for ObamaCare replacement during rally Medicaid work requirements could be added to ObamaCare bill ­ObamaCare showdown set in Budget Committee MORE (R-Wis.) highlighted Schumer’s statement as an example of “bipartisan concern” over refugees.

Centrist Democratic Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinFormer Hill staffer launches talk show This week: GOP works to corral votes on healthcare plan Overnight Finance: Budget ref caught in ObamaCare crossfire | Treasury chief urges Congress to raise debt limit | McConnell says tax reform unlikely by August MORE (W.Va.) signed a letter to President Obama Monday calling on him not to allow another Syrian refugee into the country unless federal authorities can guarantee with 100-percent assurance they are not connected to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Other Democrats have rejected freezing Obama’s plan to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the current fiscal year.

Senate Democratic Whip Dick DurbinDick DurbinOvernight Regulation: Dems press DeVos over rule targeting for-profit colleges Dems call on DeVos to explain delay in career-training rule Overnight Finance: CBO score roils ObamaCare debate | Dems fire warning shot over border wall funding | Obstacles mount for tax reform MORE (D-Ill.) said halting the program “is a simplistic reaction to a very complicated challenge.”

“Background checks need to be redoubled in terms of refugees but if we’re talking about threats to the United States, let’s put this in perspective,” he said.

Durbin noted that each year 70,000 refugees from around the world are resettled in the United States after two years of vetting while millions of foreign visitors enter the United States as visitors.

“Let us not just single out the refugees as the potential source of danger in the United States,” he said.  

Jordain Carney contributed.