“The federal government reaffirmed that refugees go through the highest level of security screening of any category of traveler to the United States”, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, said in a statement.
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President Barack Obama would veto the legislation if it reaches his desk, the statement concluded. Meanwhile, President Obama and members of the administration has begun a massive outreach program to Capitol Hill and held a conference call with governors Tuesday, trying to prevent a suspension of the decades-old program over concerns it might allow terrorist sympathizers to slip into the United States. Nonetheless numerous House conservatives who’ve caused problems for leadership on legislation of all kinds said they would support it. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is calling for a “pause” in accepting refugees until security procedures can be reviewed. A strong majority of 69 percent of Republicans want the U.S.to block the Syrian refugees, while only 36 percent of Democrats agree.
At a press conference in the Philippines early Wednesday, President Obama maintained a harsh tone pushing back against comments about security concerns over refugees from GOP presidential candidates. Immigrants without children or otherwise not eligible for the temporary assistance program qualify for the refugee cash assistance program run by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Fear of Syrian refugees entering the United States in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris is misplaced and antithetical to USA values and some governors’ efforts to exclude them from their states is likely illegal, according to a coalition of refugee resettlement leaders. “I stand firmly with President Obama, who said this morning, ‘We do not close our hearts to these victims of such violence and somehow start equating the issue of refugees with the issue of terrorism'”.
Homeland Security Committee chairman Michael McCaul said the bill introduced late Tuesday would make comprehensive background checks compulsory for every refugee from Syria and Iraq. The Obama administration reportedly plans to allow 100,000 refugees to resettle in America.
“For generations, our country has welcomed individuals and families seeking safety and asylum within the borders of the United States”, Dalrymple said. Opposition to the Syrian refugee program has intensified in since Saturday morning when the United States work up to see the Paris attacks that was carried out by ISIS.
Snyder is requesting more information to be passed from federal to state authorities, echoing calls of other governors for more information from the Obama administration about refugees being brought to their states. But just in case, State Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) has asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to give his legal opinion on whether Abbott can block refugees’ entry.
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In his letter, Abbott said ISIS posed a “very real” risk to Texas, referencing an attack previous year in Garland where a security guard was wounded after being shot outside a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest.
