A political firestorm is raging in this country over the acceptance of Syrian refugees in the US after one of the terrorists who carried out last Friday’s attacks in Paris was found to carry a Syrian passport. The governorsaid during an interview on Hugh Hewitts radio show that Syrian refugees would not be allowed into his state, adding that not even 3-year-old orphans would be permitted entry.
Advertisement
“We are not well served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic”, Obama told reporters in Manila, Philippines, after a meeting at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit with President Benigno Aquino.
Gov. Bill Walker says we have no say in the decision.
Some Democrats shared similar views, including senior Senator Chuck Schumer who acknowledged it might be “necessary” to pause and review the program.
“I heard from White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and other federal officials today about the stringent vetting process that foreign refugees go through before ever entering the United States”, said Governor Walker.
Most of the official statements by Texas Republicans have focused on stopping Syrians from entering the country until the government can guarantee that none of the refugees will harm USA citizens.
Bush reiterated his preference for accepting refugees who are Christian, after Obama criticized him. “I don’t believe it has changed, so it stands”, she said.
“I don’t want to assume that there’s a problem at this point”.
Others encouraged further communication to ensure that governors are able to better respond to questions from the public about the refugee screening and resettlement process.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, also said the refugee vetting process should be made stronger.
Refugees cleared by the State Department are assigned to one of nine national refugee resettlement organizations that place individuals in communities across the country, where local case managers help them resettle.
“We will provide refuge to at least 10,000 refugees fleeing violence in Syria over the next year after they pass the highest security checks”, said Obama on his official Twitter account.
“The people fleeing Syria now are in some of the darkest days of their lives, running from the very terrorism we seek to fight”, Gonzales wrote in a Facebook post Monday.
While NY has said it would accept refugees, nearby New Jersey – under the leadership of 2016 Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie – has said it won’t.
On Wednesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest dismissed legislation urging a halt to the refugee program.
Advertisement
The United States has accepted almost 2,200 Syrian refugees since the conflict began there in March 2011, according to government data – and that number is expected to grow significantly in the current year.
