Poll: Americans are more worried about domestic terrorists than refugees

Even with concerns about vetting the refugees that come to the U.S. in order to ensure they don't have terrorist ties, a new Quinnipiac University poll found that Americans are more worried about domestic attacks than terrorists sneaking past refugee controls. Some 58 percent said homegrown terrorists are a bigger threat, while just 16 percent see terrorists hiding among refugees as the greater concern.

That same poll found that Americans are less likely to worry about the effectiveness of current refugee screening procedures once they find out how the process actually works. The survey initially found that 69 percent wanted a more stringent screening process, while just 24 percent were comfortable with current restrictions. After pollsters gave a quick explanation of how the refugees are vetted now, however, 53 percent said rules should be stricter, and 41 percent decided the current screening is enough.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up