doubt the majority of Syrians to be admitted to the U.S. will be Muslims because it would be unlikely there would be a 'security risk' with the Christians," according to Corcoran.

She said screening has become more rigorous since 2009, when authorities were alarmed to discover that two members of al-Qaeda had entered the country posing as Iraqi refugees. That concern has been sharpened by worries that fighters from the Islamic State militant group may try to enter the United States.

The United States has accepted nearly 2 million refugees from Muslim countries since 1992, WND previously reported. The authority for the resettlement program is the Refugee Act of 1980, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.

On Tuesday, Anne C. Richard, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration,by WND. The mayor of Athens, Georgia, Nancy Denson, has requested that her city not be added to the list of cities accepting refugees until a full accounting of the costs can be tabulated.

Richard, in her announcement, said resettlement agencies and "charities" are already mobilizing to help the soon arrival of new Syrian refugees.

"Like most other refugees resettled in the United States, they will get help from the International Organization for Migration with medical exams and transportation to the United States. Once they arrive, networks of resettlement agencies, charities, churches, civic organizations and local volunteers will welcome them. These groups work in 180 communities across the country and make sure refugees have homes, furniture, clothes, English classes, job training, health care and help enrolling their children in school.