Syria Refugee among ISIS Suspects Arrested in US

Two men with ties to ISIS have been arrested in Texas and California.

Authorities say one of the suspects is a refugee from Syria who is charged with lying to federal investigators about his trips to Syria.

The arrests add fuel to the national debate over whether the Obama administration is doing enough to screen refugees from Syria for terrorist ties.

The 23-year-old man, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, came to the U.S. as a refugee from Syria in 2012.

He left the United States in November 2013, but he then came to Sacramento in January 2014, the FBI said in a 20-page affidavit.

The affidavit says Al-Jayab communicated with an unnamed individual living in Texas in April 2013 to see if he could receive training in various weapons.

After coming to the U.S., he also communicated on social media about his intent to return to Syria to rejoin terrorist groups and fight.

He discussed his previous experience fighting against the regime in Syria. Authorities say he fought with various terrorist groups, including Ansar al-Islam, which merged with the Islamic State in 2014.

When he was interviewed by citizenship officials, Al-Jayab lied about his travels and ties.

The man arrested in Texas, Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, has been charged with trying to provide material support to extremists.

"This is precisely why I called for a halt to refugees entering the U.S. from countries substantially controlled by terrorists," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.

"I once again urge the president to halt the resettlement of these refugees in the United States until there is an effective vetting process that will ensure refugees do not compromise the safety of Americans and Texans," Abbott continued.

Both of the suspects are Palestinians who were born in Iraq.