White House says U.S. security top concern regarding refugees

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will have to make a significant financial commitment and take national security precautions in order to increase the number of Syrian refugees it admits, a White House spokesman said on Thursday.

Earlier, White House press secretary Josh Earnest had said that President Barack Obama was asking federal agencies to prepare to take in up to 10,000 Syrian refugees.

"Congress would need to make a significant financial commitment to ramping up," he said, noting the additional background checks and processing would require greater staffing.

"I do feel confident in telling you that the president will not sign off on a process that cuts corners when it comes to the basic safety and security of the American people and the U.S. homeland," Earnest also said.

(Reporting by Julia Edwards; Writing by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Bill Trott)

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