The list of governors opposing the relocation of Syrian refugees in their states now contains almost two dozen names, mostly Republican with a few Democrat.
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“Because of the most recent attacks in Paris and the very real possibility that one of the terrorists entered France as a recent refugee”, McCrory says, “I am now requesting that the President and the federal government cease sending refugees from Syria to North Carolina”.
“Given this development we have serious concerns about the ongoing resettlement of Syrian refugees to the communities we represent across North Carolina”, it says.
“I think it can be misperceived”.
The state’s legislative leaders, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, also expressed their support. But that has not stopped Republican presidential candidates, Republican members of Congress and a corps of GOP governors from calling for the nation to bar its doors to 10,000 Syrian refugees scheduled to be given safe harbor in the United States next year.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (R) announced on Monday his position and questioned the Obama administration’s screening process for refugees, specifically Syrians.
“Well, you’re assuming we know where they are”.
The governors are responding to heightened concerns that terrorists might use the refugees as cover to sneak across borders.
Soerens stressed that the refugees resettled in North Carolina are Muslim and Christian and he isn’t concerned about them being a security threat.
North Carolina is now home to 59 Syrian refugees, according to McCrory.
Soerens said World Relief has helped resettle more than 60 refugees in SC from other countries after their Spartanburg office opened in May.
Dubin and others acknowledge that states can deny their resources to the federal government and potentially make the resettlement of refugees more hard. She said that Syrian refugees aren’t welcome in the state, citing gaps in available intelligence for those fleeing Syria.
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Of the estimated 3.8 million Syrians who have fled their country’s civil war, 1,854 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the US since 2012.
