There is no "specific and credible threat" in the United States at this time from ISIS, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said Monday, three days after a coordinated set of attacks stunned Paris on Friday night, but still there are active investigations ongoing in all 50 states.
"We've arrested over 70 ISIS followers in the United States over the last year," the Texas Republican told Fox News' "Fox and Friends" program. "We have active investigations in all 50 states and over 900 active cases against potential ISIS followers."
And while there is not a specific threat, said McCaul, he takes all leads seriously, saying there has been some Iraqi intelligence in which threats against the U.S. and Europe were discussed. .
"We want to stop that storm from hitting the United States and the homeland," said McCaul.
Meanwhile, McCaul said he has filed a bill to allow Congress to either approve or disapprove of some 10,000 Syrian refugees to come into the United States, and that issue has become even more urgent, as at least one, and possibly two of the terrorists involved in Friday night's attacks in Paris, were Syrian refugees.
He said there has also been testimony before his committee warning about the national security risks of allowing the program to bring in men of military age to the United States, who could kill Americans.
"We're a humanitarian nation," said McCaul. "It [the refugee situation] is a tragedy but first and foremost we have to protect Americans and the homeland."
He also protested the Obama administration's decision over the weekend to release five Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United Arab Emirates, and said that he is worried that shutting down the Cuban prison will "bring in the worst of the worst."
"To say that ISIS is contained, for God's sake, I'd hate to see ISIS unleashed," McCaul said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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