US To Take 10,000 More Syrian Refugees In 2016

Barack Obama has directed administration officials to prepare for the entry of 10,000 Syrian refugees to the US in 2016, the White House says.

The US has taken in some 1,500 Syrian refugees since the start of the county's civil war, according to the State Department.

The Obama administration has been under increasing pressure to do more to assist US allies in Europe who have faced the brunt of the refugee crisis.

In total some 500,000 people have fled to Europe this year alone. The Greek island of Lesbos is at the forefront, with some 3,000 to 4,000 refugees arriving every day.

TV cameras captured Greek border guards in Macedonia struggling to keep order as a wave of refugees attempted to enter the country on Thursday.

Most of the refugees have made their perilous trips from war-torn Syria after paying people smugglers to organise their journey.

Germany and Sweden have adopted an open-door policy, with Berlin saying it expects some 800,000 people by the end of the year.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said an increase in the number of Syrian refugees entering the US would require Congress to make "a significant financial commitment to ramping up".

He added national security precautions must also be taken into account, and that 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 US homeland," Mr Earnest said.

Some US politicians who have been urging President Obama to do more said the 10,000 does not go for enough to combat the humanitarian crisis.

Reuters reported that a letter distributed to House Democrats by Congressman David Cicilline urged the President to accommodate 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. Religious groups have called for the US to accept 100,000.

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy previously called on members of Congress to pass an amendment to restore $416m (£270m) in refugee aid that had been cut from the fiscal year 2016 Senate foreign aid bill.

The 2016 budget year begins 1 October.