Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that the U.S. has now taken in about 80 percent of the 10,000 Syrian refugees it has vowed to accept in the current fiscal year.

"We have now taken just about 8,000 refugees from Syria — we've taken refugees," he said. "Our goal for this year is 10,000. That is on top of the 85,000 people we will take and repatriate on a permanent basis with 100,000 that we're targeting for next year."

The Obama administration has been trying to move the process along related to screening and taking in the 10,000 refugees it promised before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. But Kerry said the U.S. has not cut corners when it comes to vetting the refugee candidates, amid Republican complaints that some might be Islamic State terrorists in disguise.

"[W]e have developed a sufficient level of screening of a very in-depth background check, where we are very comfortable that we're bringing in people who will be a great plus to our country, as we believe they will be a plus to your country," he said.

Kerry added that in the U.S., "not one event ... of terror has ever been committed by a refugee who was let in the country."