Ryan: Obama's actions 'remarkably unpresidential'; Governors: States have authority to refuse refugees

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Rep. Paul Ryan: Obama's actions 'remarkably unpresidential'

House speaker reacts on 'Hannity' to Syrian refugee security concerns

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," November 18, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to "Hannity." Now, tonight, in just a few minutes, we'll check in with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. He'll join us.

But first -- after the deadly terrorist attacks rocked Paris, most of the world has been mourning ever since. But not everyone. Now, last night, during a soccer match in Istanbul between Greece and Turkey, the crowd actually booed, whistled and even reportedly chanted Allah-u Akbar during a moment of silence honoring the victims of the Paris attacks. It's shocking, but watch this.

(VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Here with reaction is Fox News strategic analyst Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters. Colonel Peters, that's pretty shocking. The Arab Center for Policy and Research said that a third of Syrian refugees do not want ISIS defeated. Even 13 percent support them. There's a poll in 2013, a Pew survey that showed a majority want Sharia, but disagree on what to include.

That almost tells me that extremism may be far more pervasive than we're being told. How do you interpret that?

LT. COL. RALPH PETERS, U.S. ARMY (RET.), FOX MILITARY ANALYST:  Increasingly, in the greater Middle East, extremism is mainstream. And what really should worry us is that that clip you just played of the soccer fans booing the moment of silence in Paris and crying Allah-u Akbar.  Turkey's a NATO member.

I mean -- and that was the voice of the Turkish street under President Obama's good friend, President Erdogan, who is never criticized by the Obama administration, even though Erdogan is dragging Turkey, a country I know very well and have loved -- and dragging Turkey back into this fundamentalist darkness, while imprisoning more journalists per capita than China, closing down media outlets.

It's just absolutely brutal. And Erdogan is Muslim Brotherhood. Now, Obama clearly thinks the Muslim Brotherhood, as we saw in Egypt, is the answer to the Middle East problems. It's not.

HANNITY: Now, let me -- let me play for you -- now, we're going to check in with Paul Ryan. They're debating what they should do with Syrian refugees. The president is insisting, the president even talking about vetoing anything that will delay taking in Syrian refugees.

Let's listen to some of our top intelligence officials and what they say about the potential for ISIS to infiltrate the refugee community.  Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would that bring (ph) in Syrian refugees pose a greater risk to Americans?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, it's clearly a population of concern.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The concern is in Syria, the lack of our footprint on the ground in Syria, that the databases won't have the information we need. So it's not that we have a lack of process, it's there's a lack of information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that obviously raises grave concern as to be able to do proper background checks on individuals coming into the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't obviously put it past the likes of ISIL to infiltrate operatives among the refugees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can only query against that which we have collected, and so if someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interests reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but we're not going to -- there'll be nothing show up because we have no record on that person.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is some fear -- some fear that some of these refugees may actually be posing as refugees, but they might actually be al Qaeda or ISIS terrorists trying to sneak into Europe or the United States.  What do you make of that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, certainly, that's a possibility. I mean, you can't dismiss that out of hand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We should be conscious of the potential that Daesh may attempt to embed agents within that population.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Let me go through the list. That's General John Kirby (sic), top envoy of the coalition to defeat ISIS. That is the FBI director, James Comey, the U.S. director of national intelligence, James Clapper, the assistant director of the FBI, Steinbeck (ph). We also have the State Department spokesman, John Kirby. We also have the head of the House Homeland Security Committee, Mike McCaul, who was on this program yesterday all saying the same thing.

And my question to you is, why would we gamble with American lives?  They are saying the exact same thing that happened in Paris could happen here! And this president is insisting! Why would he gamble with the lives of the American people and run that risk?

PETERS: This is the first time I've ever had to disagree with something you said, Sean? You said, Why would we do it? We aren't doing it. Obama is doing it. And for two reasons. The lesser of the reasons is this -- the Democratic Party's endless attempt to socially engineer a new America, to change the face of America.

But the greater reason is Obama comes from a hard-left background, and he is convinced on some level that, you know, the terrorists -- everybody in the Middle East, they're oppressed and they do have a case. The most revealing remark ever made by a member of the Obama administration came this week, when John Kerry said in France -- he said, well, you know, there may have been some justification...

HANNITY: Well, let me play it.

PETERS: ... for the Charlie Hebdo massacre...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: This is too shocking because...

PETERS: It is.

HANNITY: And I know he walked back his original...

PETERS: But they believe it, Sean! They believe it!

HANNITY: He said there's a rationale...

PETERS: They believe it!

HANNITY: ... for Charlie Hebdo.

PETERS: We're the bad guy!

HANNITY: It's legitimate in that case. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: There's something different about what happened from Charlie Hebdo, and I think everybody would feel that.  There was a sort of particularized focus and perhaps even a legitimacy in terms of -- not a legitimacy, but a rationale that you could attach yourself to somehow and say, OK, they're really angry because of this or this and that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Oh, in that case, it's legitimate or there's a rationale because they drew a cartoon that offended some people? This is beyond embarrassing! It's now downright chilling, Lieutenant Colonel Peters, that that is the mindset...

PETERS: Sean, I got to tell you this is -- I mean, it's -- it is, but the only difference between the Charlie Hebdo attacks and the attacks last Friday and the later attacks, 40 times more people died. I mean, I'm waiting for this president to call Eric Holder out of retirement to lead a new movement, Jihadi Lives Matter. I mean, he -- this guy clearly doesn't get the fact that we're not the problem! Islamic State, al Qaeda, the jihadis, Islamist fundamentalism -- that is the problem! Not Paris...

HANNITY: No. No.

PETERS: ... not the French, not the Germans...

HANNITY: No, they're the JV team. They're contained. These -- it's workplace violence. Come on. Now, Colonel, you're naive.

Listen, Colonel, we got to go, but I appreciate your insight. Thank you.

PETERS: Thank you, Sean.

HANNITY: Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters, thank you.

Joining me now with more reaction, Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer, the national spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Qasim Rashid, is with us. Guys, good to see you.

Robert Spencer, let me begin with you. You heard John Kerry. You see the president has dug his heels in and he's insisting that America take in refugees, even though we're being warned by our intelligence officials.

What is your reaction to this? And what is the president, what is John Kerry not getting?

ROBERT SPENCER, JIHAD WATCH: Well, it's insane to the point of suicidal. Just today, the Turks arrested eight Islamic State operatives who were posing as refugees on their way to get into Europe.

And so what the president and John Kerry are not getting, what they've never addressed is the possibility of jihadis among the refugees, and yet that's the whole big elephant in the room that has everybody concerned about the refugee problem!

He tried to make it into a religious -- a problem with religious bigotry, saying some people want to only take in the Christians and not the Muslims. Well, the reason for that is that Muslims might blow us up, and the Christians are not going to!

HANNITY: Mr. Rashid, is there a clash of cultures if somebody comes from an area of the world where they're taught that women must dress a certain way, that women need four male eyewitnesses for rape, that women can't drive, that women can't be seen in public without male relatives?

Is there a culture clash? Because that seems to be the direct opposite of what we have here in America. And how do we ascertain if somebody really wants to assimilate and have a better life, or whether or not somebody secretly wants to engage in a caliphate?

QASIM RASHID, AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN AMERICA: Well, Sean, thanks for having me on today. As you know, the Ahmadiyya (INAUDIBLE) community is Muslims who believe in the Messiah (INAUDIBLE) have advocated for universal human rights since day one. And the concerns being brought up regarding the refugees, his holiness the khalifa of Islam, the khalifa (INAUDIBLE), brought up years ago that humanitarian values come first. We recognize the rights of all human beings. We should help refugees, without a doubt, and there must be a comprehensive...

HANNITY: Are we...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: But let's get to the heart of the question. Is America risking that ISIS and ISIS-related terrorists will infiltrate the refugee community, as our intelligence officials are suggesting they may very well?  Are we risking American lives by doing that, sir?

RASHID: I think we're risking American dignity if we don't help our refugees, the same way we turned away...

HANNITY: I didn't ask you -- I didn't ask you that question! I asked you, is it likely that ISIS will infiltrate the refugee population to get at America? Is that likely?

RASHID: That's what ISIS has stated. And if we study history...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Wait a minute! If ISIS...

(CROSSTALK)

RASHID: ... came to Florida...

HANNITY: ... then we would be foolish...

(CROSSTALK)

RASHID: ... and we sent those Jewish refugees back.

HANNITY: Sir, wait a minute!

RASHID: And very tragically, half of them died in the Holocaust. We can't repeat the mistakes of history out of fear.

HANNITY: OK, but maybe there's another way to help them, like, for example, a no-fly zone and security in a certain area of Syria where...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: ... humanitarian assistance. You know, if this is what they're saying, Robert Spencer, then you're right, this is suicidal. This president -- the problem is the president's gambling with American lives!  There'll be blood on his hands...

SPENCER: Absolutely!

HANNITY: ... if people, in fact, infiltrate and kill Americans like they did in Paris.

SPENCER: No doubt about it, Sean. Look, the Islamic State told us this was coming. They threatened in February that they were going to flood Europe with 500,000 refugees. They weren't just trying to trigger a social crisis. They were going to plant jihadis among the refugees. They've already boasted that they've sent 4,000 into Europe. More are coming.

Now Barack Obama, without ever addressing that, is going to bring this population over to the United States. People are going to die as a result of this disastrous policy!

HANNITY: This is unbelievable! All right, we have plenty more coming up next here on "Hannity."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Now, first they were worried about the press being too tough on them during debates. Now they're worried about 3-year-old orphans. That doesn't sound very tough to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: No, Mr. President, we're worried about ISIS infiltrating the refugee population, sir! Now, the president's out there mocking Republicans over these legitimate concerns that ISIS, in fact, would infiltrate the Syrian refugees who are coming to America.

When we come back, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan -- he's here next.

And later, dozens of governors all across the country are now saying they will not accept Syrian refugees into their states. Two of those governors will explain how they plan to fight back.

Also, Geraldo on the ground in Paris on this busy news night tonight on "Hannity."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: And welcome back to "Hannity." The president is viciously mocking Republicans for raising concerns about ISIS infiltrating thousands of Syrian refugees that are scheduled to come to America. Now, here is what the president said late last night. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: When individuals say that we should have a religious test and that only Christians, proven Christians, should be admitted, that's offensive and contrary to American values. I cannot think of a more -- more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric that's been coming out of here.

Now, first they were worried about the press being too tough on them during debates. Now they're worried about 3-year-old orphans. That doesn't sound very tough to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Well, the JV team that's contained? Now, while the president brushes aside legitimate security threats that are posed by taking in these migrants, earlier today, authorities in Turkey reportedly arrested eight suspected ISIS operators who are posing as refugees before they can get on a flight headed for Germany.

Here with reaction, speaker of the House, Congressman Paul Ryan.  Congressman, Welcome back. Good to see you, sir.

REP. PAUL RYAN, R-WIS., SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Good to be with you, Sean. Thanks for having me.

HANNITY: This is a recruitment tool. This is a president called the JV team, man-caused disaster, his administration used that term, overseas contingencies, they are contained -- have you ever met anybody that's been so wrong on such an important issue than this president? And what's your reaction to what he said?

RYAN: I think he's playing politics. Its remarkably unpresidential, Sean. I don't for the life of me understand this. He just said he's going to veto our bill putting a pause on the refugee program. I can't imagine why one would do that!

Our bottom line is very, very clear. And it's the first responsibility of the federal government, secure the homeland, keep people safe in America.

So here's what we're doing. We don't -- we obviously know that ISIS wants to infiltrate the refugee population. That's very clear. So we need to put a pause on this program and have higher standards placed upon it so that we can verify on a person by person basis each and every single refugee, whether or not they pose any security risk. And if they do and if we can't without a shadow of a doubt prove that, then they shouldn't come here.

HANNITY: Well, but...

(CROSSTALK)

RYAN: We're passing this bill tomorrow.

HANNITY: A lot of conservatives, including some members of the Freedom Caucus, were getting in touch with me all day about it. And I know that the secretary of Homeland Security, the director of FBI, director of intelligence need to certify that these people would be safe individually.  I understand that.

Is there a chance, though, that ISIS, al Qaeda operatives would be trained to lie and be trained to defeat any background or security check?  Because I would believe that that's part of the possibility, or if the FBI director says based on what we know now, does that mean it's signed off on?

RYAN: No, that's the threshold they have right now. We're upping the threshold from what that is right now. Here's the problem. There really isn't a Syria to talk to to corroborate the veracity of a person's claims.  That is why we're saying we have to put this bill in place, which pauses the program effectively and make sure that we raise the standards so that we can get in and check on every one of these claims. And if we can't verify a person's claims, then they can't come.

So the point here, Sean, is, we've got to keep the country safe. I think the president is playing politics with this. I think that's very unfortunate.

And the other point I'm trying to say is this should not be a partisan issue. Democrats agree with us here in Congress, and I think we're going to have a pretty big bipartisan vote tomorrow because this should not be...

HANNITY: Congressman...

RYAN: ... about Republicans and Democrats. This should be about keeping America safe and knowing that ISIS is trying to infiltrate the refugee population. We're going to do something about it tomorrow. And this is pretty fast. We assembled our task force on Saturday as a response to what happened in Paris on a Friday because we think it's just that urgent of a situation.

HANNITY: You know, I just put up on the screen all of our intelligence officials, starting with General John Allen, who is Obama's top envoy to defeat ISIS, and James Comey, our FBI director and the national director of intelligence, James Clapper, and John Kirby from the State Department. I put all these names up there. They all said ISIS will try to infiltrate the refugee community, like we saw in Paris.

So I guess question is, the president is so insistent here, doesn't it look to you like he's willing to gamble with the lives of the American people? And what if he's wrong? And what if something that -- what if they do infiltrate and kill Americans? Who's going to step up and take responsibility then?

RYAN: So that's why we're doing what we're doing tomorrow. Look, we've all gotten the briefing. We had the FBI, the Homeland Security come and brief us in a classified briefing and an unclassified briefing. And we are not satisfied with the way this refugee program is being run right now.  We don't think the security standards are nearly as stringent enough, and we are not satisfied with this. That is why we're passing this bill tomorrow.

HANNITY: All right, are you including...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: ... put a pause of six months on it or not including that part?

RYAN: This would put a pause, I believe, for longer than that. This effectively puts a pause in the program, and it will take longer than six months, I believe, to put these kinds of security...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: ... question, though. If all of these intelligence people that we hired to do this are all saying that they'll try to infiltrate, that means they'll do anything, like they did to get into Paris. Why don't we just cancel it? Why don't we just say, You cannot come here? It's too big a risk to the American people. I don't think we can fully ascertain what's in people's hearts. I don't think anybody can assure us that ISIS wouldn't lie and create documents and a document trail. I mean, I think they would do anything to get here.

Why don't we just end the program, and that might mean defunding the program? Wouldn't that be a better idea?

RYAN: Couple of points, I don't think we have time to wait a month for funding bills. I think we need to do this now. That's point number one.

Point number two, we're a compassionate country. The refugee laws are important laws, and we don't want terrorists to dictate how we run -- whether we have a law or not. But we don't think in this particular case with respect to ISIS trying to infiltrate the Syrian and Iraqi -- by the way, Iraqi refugee program, that the standards are anywhere near where they should be.

And by the way, the FBI cannot right now certify these standards, so this does pause the program. And so we think we effectively are accomplishing the same goal.

But the other point I'm trying to make, Sean, is we're trying to make this bipartisan because we don't think this should be a Republican or Democrat...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Nancy Pelosi says her bill is stronger and tougher.

RYAN: That's just not the case. But let me say one thing. Let's widen the focus here for a second, Sean. The reason we're having this conversation about refugees, the reason we're having this conversation about ISIS is because we don't have a plan to defeat ISIS, is because the president and his foreign policy, particularly with respect to Iraq and Syria, is so abysmal, so lacking. It didn't contain ISIS and we don't have a strategy to defeat ISIS.

So let's not forget the big picture here, which is we have terrorism worldwide knocking on our door, and we do not have a plan to defeat this terrorist threat. We passed a bill, sent it to the president today requiring -- and we have veto override votes on this bill -- requiring that the president come back to Congress with a plan and a strategy to actually defeat ISIS.

HANNITY: But the president says he'll veto this bill as it relates to the Syrian refugees. If it comes to that, you said you would like to do it sooner rather than later, but in early December, I think it's December 11th, funding for the government -- current government funding, legislation runs out.

One of the issues conservatives have had is that Republicans have not used their constitutional enumerated powers of the purse on immigration and "Obama care," for example. Would you at that point be willing to use the power of the purse and defund this to keep the American people safe?

RYAN: Look, right now, Sean, I'm not going to take any options off the table. I'm not going to put any options on the table. I think we have a good case to make right now. We have important legislation to pass. I'm asking and encouraging Democrats to join us. I know the president's threatening vetoes because I think he's worried, frankly, that Democrats are going to vote with the American people, that they're going to vote with us. We have...

HANNITY: Two polls.

RYAN: ... to add more security layers...

HANNITY: Two polls...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: ... show 2 to 1, the American people are against...

RYAN: That's right.

HANNITY: ... Obama bringing in Syrian refugees altogether. I would prefer -- I don't know that we can really fully vet anybody like this, nor do we have the resources. I personally am of the belief that we shouldn't be taking them in. I think it's too big a risk.

RYAN: Let me just say this, Sean. And if we cannot without a shadow of a doubt make sure and confirm that a person does not pose a threat to this country, then they shouldn't come here. And that's the point we're trying to make.

And so I don't want this to be Republicans versus Democrats. This is Americans. This is our national security. It shouldn't be politicized like the president is politicizing it. And that is why we're asking all of our colleagues to support fixing this, pausing this and getting this right.

HANNITY: We have...

RYAN: But we're not going to take -- but let me say one more thing, Sean. The task force we created here just this Saturday, this is just step one. We have a lot more work to do. We're going to do hearings. We're going to do legislation. We have many more things that we will be doing here...

HANNITY: Quick question...

RYAN: ... in the House to address these issues.

HANNITY: We have resettled 1.5 million Muslim migrants in the United States. Senator Sessions had put out a piece where all these people that we took into this country then come here and then are -- then get involved in terror activity. I put it up on my Web site. I urge you to take a look at it.

And we take in 100,000 Muslim immigrants to the United States every year. Do we have to think about somebody who grows up under Sharia, believes that women can't drive, can't be seen in public without a male relative, four male eyewitnesses for rape -- do we have a clash of cultures we've got to consider? How do we know if they want to assimilate? How do we know if they want to bring terror into the United States? How do we ascertain that?

RYAN: Well, first of all, I don't think that a religious test is appropriate. That's not who we are. We believe in the 1st Amendment and religious freedom. And I don't think it's an appropriate test because anybody can come under the guise of something else. It's not hard for a person to claim that they're something that they're not, like a Christian or something like that, to get into the country. That is why we're calling for a security test.

I think the test that matters is a security test because anybody can try and infiltrate this country by posing as something that they're not.  So I don't think that's the proper test.

HANNITY: All right...

RYAN: I think a security test is the proper test.

HANNITY: Mr. Speaker -- all right, stay right there. We're going to part two of our interview tomorrow night with the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.

And when we come back, in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks, terrorist attacks, dozens of governors -- they're refusing to accept Syrian refugees into their states. Coming up next, two governors explain why they're pushing back against the president.

And later Geraldo Rivera on the ground in Paris with an update. That and more as "Hannity" continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Now, here at home, dozens of governors have announced that they will not welcome Syrian refugees into their states. Now, earlier, I spoke with two governors who have made that pledge, Florida governor Rick Scott and Texas governor Greg Abbott.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANNITY: All right, gentlemen, thank you both for being with us.  Governor Scott, I don't blame you. I think you have -- we have a duty to protect, in your case as a governor, the citizens of your state. The same thing with you, Governor Abbott. We hear from our intelligence community that there's a risk.

Why do you think the president would just push aside that risk and gamble with the lives of the American people? Governor Scott?

GOV. RICK SCOTT, R-FLA.: Sean, obviously (INAUDIBLE) it's really concerning. I got on the White House call last night. I asked three questions. Number one, how is your vetting better than the French vetting?  Because I'm sure the -- you know, the French government didn't want somebody to pose as a refugee and come into their country and be a terrorist. He just said, It's just better.

Number two, are you going to give me or my law enforcement the information, the background information? No, we're not. And number three, are you going to give me any authority to make decisions for my state? No.

I'm responsible, just like Governor Abbott is, for the citizens of our state, 20 million in my state, over 100 million visitors. I'm going to defend their safety.

HANNITY: Whoa. And Governor Abbott, any questions you asked? And what are your major concerns?

ABBOTT: Well, Sean, our major concerns, obviously, are for the safety and security of people in Texas, as well as across the United States. As you know, earlier today, it was discovered by Honduran officials that Syrians were coming through Honduras on their way to the United States to wreck (sic) terroristic activities.

We've had several arrests in state of Texas of people who are connected with ISIS. This is a very real situation that Texas is having to deal with. And I got to tell you one thing, Sean, and that is the narrative out there is absolutely false when they say governors have no authority to anything about this, because we do, under section 8 of the U.S. code, section 1522. It specifically authorizes the states to control these refugee resettlement programs. And so anyone who says governors don't have the authority --

HANNITY: So you can prevent them from being in your state? You can prevent them from going to Texas and Governor Scott can prevent them from going to Florida?

ABBOTT: Well, here's what we can do. And that is the money that flows from the federal government to these agencies goes through the states. And these agencies have to, quote, "cooperate with the states." And because I am saying that we are not going to allow these refugees in the state of Texas, that means that we as a state are going to be able to cut this off. And that is pursuant to federal law.

HANNITY: And you agree with that, Governor Scott?

SCOTT: The experience in our state -- in our state the money flows directly to these agencies. We've already said we will not accept the Syrian refugees. We want the federal government to slow down. We don't even know what is all happening, what's happening in Paris. Let's get the facts first, take our time and make a good decision. But they're directing this money directly to the agencies. Even though our state agencies have said no, they're directing the money right there.

HANNITY: All right, I want to thank you both. And I support both of you. By the way, my two favorite states, and neither one of you have a state income tax. Thank you both.

And coming up, the people of France, they're living in fear after last week's deadly attacks. Our own Geraldo Rivera will join us later with a full report from the ground in Paris.

But first, the House Homeland Security Chairman says there are 1,000 ISIS investigations right here in America. And according to one report, the FBI does not have enough resources to stop this terror group from striking our homeland. Sheriff David Clarke, Juan Williams will debate that and more as HANNITY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICK LEVENTHAL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This is a Fox News alert from Paris. I'm Rick Leventhal. Still no confirmation of the death of the suspected mastermind of the Paris terror attacks after a seven-hour gun battle between terrorists and police in the Saint-Denis neighborhood on Wednesday morning. More than 100 officers including a French SWAT team and military special forces met fierce resistance during the raid on the suspected hideout of Abdelhamid Abaaoud. Police and soldiers firing more than 5,000 rounds in the first hour of the battle. And there were numerous loud explosions in and around the third floor apartment where the terror cell was holed up, allegedly plotting a new attack on a shopping mall.

A female terrorist killed herself with a suicide vest after exchanging fire with police. A male suspect died from his own hand grenade. Five officers were wounded and a police dog killed. "The Washington Post" citing two European offices reports that Abaaoud was also killed in the raid, but the French prosecutor has not been confirmed it. Eight others were taken into custody.

But another key figure, Salah Abdelsalam, remains at large. He allegedly handled logistics for the Friday the 13th attack that left 129 dead and 350 wounded.

Meanwhile, the crackdown on radicals and ISIS fighters who snuck out of Syria intensifies in France, Europe, and beyond. Honduras says it detained five Syrians with stolen Greek passports today that were reportedly trying to make their way to the United States. And 20 minutes from now the NYPD is holding a counterterrorism news conference. We'll have it here live.

I'm Rick Leventhal in Paris. Now back to "Hannity."

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Now earlier today the House Homeland Security Chairman announced that right here in America there are over 1,000 ISIS investigations in all 50 states. And according to The Washington Times the FBI is now on high alert as we approach the holiday season. And they're also reporting, quote, "Bureau officials are deeply worried they don't have enough resources to track a growing number of radicalized Americans inspired by the Islamic State."

Here with reaction, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, Fox News political analyst Juan Williams. Juan, 1,000 investigations is a lot.  I'll give you the list -- FBI director, the assistant FBI director, the U.S. director of intelligence, State Department spokesman. We have the homeland security committee chairman and others are all saying ISIS will infiltrate the refugee population. Now, they've all said that they'll infiltrate.

JUAN WILLIAMS, SENIOR EDITOR, THE HILL: What they said was that they have ongoing investigations.

HANNITY: No.

WILLIAMS: And it's possible. But the fact is, Sean.

HANNITY: No, let me correct you.

WILLIAMS: All right.

HANNITY: They said that -- and by the way I'll add to that General John Allen. They have all said that it is likely that ISIS will infiltrate the refugee population. They've all warned the president. Why is your president willing to gamble with the lives of American citizens in light of the fact that they were able to infiltrate in France? Why would you gamble with people's lives?

WILLIAMS: First of all, what happened in France were people who were holding European passports.

HANNITY: Excuse me. They were refugees who went to Belgium and then attacked France. Refugees.

WILLIAMS: No, no, these were people -- in fact the prime bad guy was a child of Moroccan refugees who was born in Belgium.

HANNITY: You're missing the point. Why would we take in 10,000 refugees when you have General John Allen, America's top envoy coalition to defeat ISIS, the FIB director, the director of national intelligence, they're all saying that they'll infiltrate. Why take that risk? What gamble with American lives?

WILLIAMS: Because, guess what, this is a country based on the idea that we are compassionate, that we will take in --

HANNITY: And when they attack and people die --

WILLIAMS: No, no.

HANNITY: When they attack like in Paris and people die, who has blood on their hands, Juan? Who has blood on their hands?

WILLIAMS: Sean Hannity, you are inspiring fear and discrimination against people. This is like Jeb Bush saying, oh, yes, take the Christians, not the Muslims. That is not America. That's some other place.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: If you grow up believing that women can't drive, women have to dress a certain way, women need a male relative to go out in public, and you grew up where women need four male eyewitnesses for rape as some people grow up under Sharia, is there a cultural clash in that environment? How do we know if people are assimilated or not?

WILLIAMS: I am so glad you mention this because isn't it incredible that in this country we have not had one arrest of anybody who emigrated to this country from the Muslim world for domestic terrorism.

HANNITY: Wrong, wrong. They've put out three pages of it, and I have it and I'll put it up on the screen, of people that have come from Muslim countries that have gained citizenship and that have been arrested for terror. The FBI has charged 66 Middle Eastern refugees with plotting ISIS attacks on the homeland. Let me bring in Sheriff Clarke. Sheriff, weigh in.

SHERIFF DAVID CLARKE, MILWAUKEE COUNTY: First of all, the system is blinking red, there's no doubt about that. It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when there will be another terror attack in the United States.

As a policymaker here's what I want to know from my intelligence sources. Who specifically are the threats? What are their capabilities?  And are they planning an attack, is an attack imminent?

Now what I've questioned and I'll continue to question is if we are set up structurally for effective intelligence to stay what the MI-5 calls left of boom. Left of boom is pre-attack, pre-event. Oftentimes we find ourselves, especially with the FBI, I think they're miscast. And it's not a knock on them. They're not a true intelligence agency. They're an investigative agency. But they stay too often to the right of boom. They are looking for probable cause to make an arrest.

The system was blinking red on Nidal Hasan when he shot 16 or 17 fellow, at the time anyway, service members. The system was blinking red on the Tsarnaev brothers. But, Juan, I find this interesting that you, and this is human nature, this is not a knock on you, said you have gotten nervous when you boarded a commercial airliner and you see an imam get on.  I understand that from a human nature perspective, but my question to you would be, when did we become compassionate about the safety of American people?

WILLIAMS: Every day in every way. That's why we appreciate you.

But I'm just telling you, you can't say -- and right now after 2011, look at who we've let in. Over 50 percent of these people that come in, you know, they're old people over 50 years old. No, let me finish. A quarter are children, sheriff. And only two percent are men of what they call combat age. So when you look at the vetting process, and it takes about two years if not longer for any of these refugees before they get to U.S. soil, you have to understand how we are in fact resorting to xenophobic anxiety instead of being --

HANNITY: Sheriff --

CLARKE: I disagree with that.

HANNITY: This is an important question. Is there any way to ascertain if somebody has the intention of coming to America for a better life for themselves and their family or whether or not they have a desire to commit a terror act on our soil? We can't possibly ascertain that. And all of our intelligence sources are saying that ISIS will infiltrate the refugee population. Are we, sheriff, gambling with the lives of the American people if we take them in?

CLARKE: Sure, we are. Look, one of the pillars of a terror organization are document forgers. And we're finding that out in France and we've seen that here as well, passports that appear to be real but they're actually forged documents. So you're actually asking these intelligence sources and actually these screeners to try to thread a needle. And to try to thread that needle in the dark and you're using black thread. So it's darn near impossible to do and it takes a long time.

I agree with Paul Ryan right now, the speaker of the House, we need to pause on this thing. We need to take a step back, because there is no true and accurate way.

WILLIAMS: Sheriff, we should not -- and I know you're a tough guy, sheriff.

CLARKE: -- letting into the country.

HANNITY: And when we come back, Geraldo Rivera, he joins us live from the ground in Paris. That's next tonight on "Hannity."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Our own Geraldo Rivera has been on the ground in Paris now for several days. And earlier he spoke with people who live in the very neighborhood where some of the terrorists were hiding from authorities. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Tell me about this neighborhood. What kind of neighborhood is it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right no one has news about them. We don't know. So everyone, everyone we are like all people, we are waiting. We don't know. We can't take the subway, we can't do nothing. So we are heartbroken.

I feel very, very shocked and sad. Sunday I was close to where they did the games Friday with friends and how many --

RIVERA: My daughter was there, too. My daughter was in the game.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was already on Sunday to get to go to see my sister, and I was shocked to see the blood on the streets.

It's a lot, my house. I see the French becoming like that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANNITY: Fox News senior correspondent Geraldo Rivera on the ground in Paris tonight. Again, Geraldo, I'm so glad your daughter is safe. You can just hear the fear, the sadness, you know, that this is now happening.  Is there any backlash to the idea that they have taken in refugees that are literally changing the culture there?

RIVERA: Well, the neighborhood Saint-Denis, Sean, nice to be with you, the neighborhood where today's tremendous firefight took place in the predawn raid of the SWAT team from the French elite forces going in to take in that terrorist net in the neighborhood, that is an immigrant neighborhood where people come and go often without documentation. Rent is paid in cash sometimes for days. This safe house was a classic example of that. This house filled with these combat-ready operatives, eight of them taken alive, two of them dead when the female suicide bomber blowing herself up.

The video that you're seeing and hearing was exclusive obtained by Fox News, given to us by one of the neighbors, one of the people who witnessed this hour-long fight in which 5,000 rounds were exchanged in which, you know, two terrorists died, one female blowing herself up, another so unrecognizable that he may be Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of Friday the 13th, the awful attack.

But to me, Sean, and thank you for mentioning my daughter. What is so unsettling to me is following that soccer match, the soccer stadium is just a mile from the scene of this incredible raid in which the wrath of France came down on these terrorists when the spectators scattered after the three suicide bombs failed to penetrate the stadium, failed to get in among the crowd, failed to kill the president of France or any of the other spectators. When they scattered they went through this very neighborhood, where who knows who is behind what walls and who knows what dire plots they are hatching to unleash on Paris and on France. It is a largely Muslim community. It reminds me very much of Fort Apache in the Bronx. Not the extremist aspect, but it's kind of in that transitory mode where nobody knows anything, and even if they do, they aren't telling, Sean.

HANNITY: All right, Geraldo, thanks so much. Safe home yourself.  Good to see you.

And when we come back, our "Question of the Day," very important question, we want your input. That is straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right, time for our "Question of the Day." So what do you think about reports that Turkey fans chanted Allahu Akbar during the, quote, "moment of silence" during the soccer game? Just go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.

Now it's time for our "Ask Sean" commentary. The question came from Facebook. We asked you, our viewers, if you had a question for me about ISIS Christine wrote me and said, quote, "Here's my question. Why do people keep making this a Republican-Democratic issue and not an American issue?" Christine, that is what it should be. When you have a president of the United States, even though refugees infiltrated into Paris and committed these atrocious acts and the president wants them to invite them here, to me, that is gambling with your life and the life of every other American. And what happens if one of these refugees kills an American?  Who then will take responsibility and have blood on their hands? It's a very important question. They don't care if they kill conservatives, liberals, Republicans or Democrats. We should not let the refugees in.

That is all the time we have left this evening. Before we go, quick programming note, tomorrow night tune in, 10:00 eastern, 2016 Republican presidential candidate Texas Senator Ted Cruz will weigh in on all of this and more. That's tomorrow at 10:00. Thanks for being with us. See you back here tomorrow night.

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