Syrian refugees in US say yearslong process worth the wait

FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2015 file photo, Syria refugee Nedal Al-Hayk listens during an interview in Warren, Mich. Al-Hayk, who was resettled in suburban Detroit with his family after a three-year wait, said officials interviewed him and his wife in separate rooms, repeatedly asking detailed questions pressing them about their backgrounds and reasons for fleeing Syria. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2015 file photo, Syria refugee Nedal Al-Hayk listens during an interview in Warren, Mich. Al-Hayk, who was resettled in suburban Detroit with his family after a three-year wait, said officials interviewed him and his wife in separate rooms, repeatedly asking detailed questions pressing them about their backgrounds and reasons for fleeing Syria. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

By Associated Press November 19, 2015 1 min read

DETROIT (AP) – Syrian refugees who have resettled in the United States say the yearslong process is arduous and thorough, but worth the wait for a better life.

Nedal Al-Hayk (neh-DAHL’ ahl-HAYK) moved to the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills with his wife and two young children seven months ago. They fled fighting in their Syrian hometown in 2012, then lived in Jordan for three years while undergoing screening overseen by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

That included hours of intensive and repeated interviews, criminal and terrorist background checks and fingerprinting.

In the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, the Obama administration has disclosed new details about how refugees are investigated.

Some governors, lawmakers and others want to halt resettlement of Syrian refugees for fear that terrorists could sneak into the country.