I take exception to some of the information in the April 7 letter from Denny Andrews of Bellevue. I especially was bothered with the terms unvetted “refugees” (his quotes) and “so-called refugees.”

Our church group has been studying refugee issues and has learned there is a lot of information and disinformation on the subject. A refugee is someone “who cannot return to their country for fear of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, or membership in a particular group”. The average stay in a refugee camp is about 17 years. If a refugee qualifies for consideration for relocation to the U.S., they go through a year-and-a-half to two-year intense vetting process. One percent of those make it through this process. Those who do, are highly motivated to succeed and assimilate in this country.

Details on the vetting process are available from local agencies that resettle refugees – including World Relief, the Jewish, Lutheran and Episcopal refugee resettlement organizations. Their websites offer a lot of good information about refugees and the vetting process. I would encourage your readers to research the subject. True refugees are highly vetted before they can come to the U.S.

Ken Ramsey

Bellevue