World Relief and other refugee advocacy organizations are working to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees by the end of the 2016 fiscal year, in an effort to meet the mark of 10,000 set by President Barack Obama last fall.

Refugee applicants must submit pages of biographical information and go through a rigorous screening process involving multiple government agencies including the departments of Defense and Homeland Security. The vetting process — which for most applicants begins overseas — can take up to two years, and requires a comprehensive medical examination in order to root out any serious infectious diseases.

The United States has accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees since the 9/11 attacks, and of that number only three have been arrested on terror-related charges. The vast majority come to the United States in search of safety and opportunity, and many are fleeing the very same forces that would do harm to the United States and its interests both at home and abroad. This is especially true of Syrian refugees.