12-07-2015, 08:18 PM
(12-07-2015, 05:15 PM)Benton Wrote: http://www.npr.org/2015/11/17/456395388/paris-attacks-ignite-debate-over-u-s-refugee-policy
There's always some kind of a record of existence. Birth certificates, employment history, medical records, social media. It takes some digging, but it's there, even in a place undergoing as much change as Syria has in the last several years.
I don't know what Syrian birth certificates look like but the ones issued here in the states have nothing that can positively identify that the person presenting it is the same as the name on the certificate. No photo, fingerprint, or other identifying markers except maybe race (which would do no good since they are all Arabic). I can get a copy of anyone's bc here in the states as long as I know their name, place of birth, and date of birth as long as that person's records haven't been sealed by court order. I could then use that to try to claim I am someone I am not. If it can be done here it sure as hell can be done in a place like Syria.
Many of these people have no social media footprint, medical records, or employement history to cross check. And if they did how would you check anything besides social media? You gonna call up their Dr. in Syria and ask about their medical history? How bout their former boss, think he's going to give anything up, assuming you can even get in contact, or if he is even alive?
The fact is for the vast majority of these people there is no way to 100% verify that they are who they claim to be. Their passports, ID's and birth certificates can and have been forged and with no credible way to verify those documents you have to go on faith that they are who they say they are.
