Donald Trump says Hillary Clinton wants to let 500 percent more Syrians into the U.S.

The mass shooting inside an Orlando nightclub is even more evidence that the United States needs to restrict the number of foreigners coming into the country, Republican Donald Trump argued in a speech attacking Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Refugees are potential terrorists, Trump said, and when it comes to refugees, "our government has been admitting ever-growing numbers, year after year, without any effective plan for our own security. Having learned nothing from these attacks, she now plans to massively increase admissions, without a screening plan, including a 500 percent increase in Syrian refugees coming into our country. Tell me. Tell me, how stupid is that?"

Trump’s claim that there is no screening plan rates False; there is a screening plan.

But we also wondered if Clinton wanted to bring in that many more Syrian refugees from Syria, a country devastated by warring factions.

When the refugees began making their way to Germany and other European countries, with many men, women and children dying in the process, there was concern that the United States was not helping European countries deal with the influx.

During a Sept. 20 appearance on CBS' Face the Nation, Clinton was asked if President Barack Obama's plan to increase the number allowed into the United States to 10,000 was enough. (The United States had accepted about 2,000 in 2015.)

"Look, we’re facing the worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II, and I think the United States has to do more, and I would like to see us move from what is a good start with 10,000 to 65,000 and begin immediately to put into place the mechanisms for vetting the people that we would take in," Clinton said.

Clinton said she would be "looking to really emphasize some of those who are most vulnerable, a lot of the persecuted religious minorities, including Christians, and some who have been brutalized, like the Yazidi women."

A jump to 65,000 would be a 550 percent increase.

To put this in context, Clinton has also made it clear that, under her administration, the United States wouldn't blindly accept anyone from Syria.

The Clinton campaign pointed us to a Dec. 15, 2015, speech she made at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis.

Featured Fact-check

Instagram posts

stated on November 8, 2024 in an Instagram post

"BREAKING: Zillow CEO just said on CNBC Trump's deportation plan will help with housing affordability.”

"We also have to be vigilant in screening and vetting refugees from Syria, guided by the best judgment of our security and diplomatic professionals," Clinton said. " Rigorous vetting already takes place while these refugees are still overseas, and it’s a process that historically takes 18 to 24 months."

"It would be a cruel irony indeed if ISIS can force families from their homes and then also prevent them from finding new ones," she said. "So after rigorous screening, we should welcome families fleeing Syria."

Our ruling

Trump said Clinton "plans to massively increase admissions (of Middle East refugees) … including a 500 percent increase in Syrian refugees coming into our country."

Clinton has, in fact, said that in response to the refugee crisis she would raise Obama's limit of 10,000 to 65,000. That's 550 percent more, a bit higher than what Trump said.

But Clinton has also made it clear that they would have to first be vetted by a screening process, an important detail in the context of Trump's larger point that would-be terrorists have to be kept out of the country.

Because the statement is mostly accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.