Meanwhile on Wednesday the White House threatened a presidential veto of House Republican legislation aimed at increasing screenings for Syrian and Iraqi refugees before they enter the United States, calling new requirements in the bill “untenable”.
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North Carolina’s governor said he does not want any more Syrian refugees coming into the state.
Governor McCrory said North Carolina should not receive any additional refugees until he is satisfied with the thoroughness and effectiveness of federal background and security checks conducted on refugees entering the United States.
“My primary duty as governor is to protect the citizens of North Carolina, which is why I am taking the steps I have outlined today”, said Governor McCrory.
Governor McCrory joins several other governors across the U.S.in taking action on Syrian refugees.
McCrory said he will be in touch with other governors who made similar statements. “I care for these people. but what worries me is that a few of these people could actually be ISIS”, said the Governor.
The Southeast Immigrant Rights Network said that, given that only the federal government has the power to admit refugees, “it is clear that these governors are exploiting the frightful tragedy in Paris to instill fear and hatred at a time when we most need to welcome and reach out to our sisters and brothers from Syria who are seeking refuge and risking everything in order to save their loved ones”.
North Carolina is the latest U.S. state to ban access to Syrian refugees along with Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, MA and Florida.
Atema says Syrian refugees shouldn’t be singled out. The better approach, we think, is to accommodate Syrian refugees in another Middle Eastern country until they can be verified as legitimate asylum seekers. If a refugee comes to Virginia, he or she could move to North Carolina.
McCrory said from January 2015 to October of 2015, 59 Syrian refugees have been resettled in North Carolina.
Experts maintain there is little to no legal footing for states to reject refugees.
“Obviously, there has been no problem from any of these 15,000 people and I think this is because of the very stringent process that the State Department has in place”.
He said his team is now requesting that information from the federal government concerning the refugees who are already here.
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“In case there are potential threats, we know where to follow through”.
