Tom Carper and Ron Johnson

opening remarks: In his opening remarks, the committee top Republican, Ron Johnson, said of the Trudeau plan to bring in 25,000 refugees: "That a pretty significant ramp-up, according to CTV. Will there be short-cuts taken " The top Democrat, Tom Carper, countered by quoting Pope Francis: "I think we should support our ally Canada in doing the right thing in the most secure manner possible," he said. It became apparent just moments into a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security committee that this conversation was as much between Americans as it was between countries. The context for this meeting was unfolding elsewhere. His Republican opponents have hammered him for planning to bring in 10,000 refugees -- some want zero; some want only non-Muslims; and Donald Trump wants a total freeze on Muslim travel to the U.S. The Canadian government was invited to participate in the hearing but declined, citing the historical precedent of avoiding that partisan chamber. Up the highway in Baltimore, Barack Obama visited a mosque for the first time in his presidency and warned against anti-Muslim bigotry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.