Homeland Security Department spokesman David Lapan said the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved a State Department request for six girls from the war-torn country to be allowed in, along with their chaperone, so they can participate in the competition. The girls’ applications for U.S. visas had been denied twice. He credited “the professional leadership of the U.S. State Department” for ensuring that all 163 teams from 157 countries, including a team of Syrian refugees, would be able to participate. The State Department and Department of Homeland Security came up with several — with the idea of “paroling” the girls through the Department of Homeland Security ultimately chosen by the National Security Council.

Source: National Post July 13, 2017 00:35 UTC