Birmingham photographer Karim Shamsi-Basha, who grew up as a Muslim in Syria and now is a Christian in Alabama, took this picture of his sister, Mimi, in Syria. Christie, meanwhile, stands alone among leaders of one the most ethnically, religiously diverse regions of the country and has slammed the door in their faces.
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Unlike overwhelmed European countries forced to vet migrants only after they’ve arrived, the US won’t let refugees in until they’ve gone through lengthy checks. He insisted the USA process for screening refugees for possible entry into the U.S.is rigorous and said the US doesn’t make good decisions “based on hysteria” or exaggerated risk. We have no idea who the people, they have no papers, they have no paperwork.
One of the refugees has been reported missing in New Orleans already. At the beginning of the Syrian civil war, 10% of the population was Christian, but only 2.4% of the Syrian refugees are Christian.
Cruz’s position on the “religious test” drew the scorn of President Barack Obama on Monday, which called out Cruz by name at a press conference and said his position was “not American”. This is best for the United States, best for its citizens, and best for refugees fleeing the chaos of their homelands. I also call on Congress and the President to immediately amend federal law to provide states greater oversight and authority in the administration of the placement of refugees.
But the Syrian refugee crisis is dividing American politicians, given the choice between yielding to fears of importing terrorists or honoring the United States’ traditional welcoming role.
“When I hear political leaders suggesting that there should be a religious test for admitting which person fleeing which country”, Obama said, “when a few of these folks themselves come from other countries, that’s shameful”. Now we are finally hearing from most of the Republican candidates about the threat to America of jihadi-infested Muslim migration. A cartoon has been circulating on social media showing a Native American man greeting a Pilgrim, saying, “Sorry, but we’re not accepting refugees”. In the post-Sept. 11 world the odds of dying from an Islamic terrorist attack in the US remain miniscule – you’re literally more likely to get hit by lightning.
The Paris Islamist attack has given us an opening to fight the immediate danger of importing jihadis into America, but it will take sustained and courageous political action to change our immigration policy permanently. “They don’t normally come with embedded terrorists in their midst”.
Indeed, many Christians who have fled Islamic State now reside in Kurdish-controlled areas within Syria and Iraq.
“The question is not one of taking in more Christian refugees, but rather doing more for them in Syria, where they would prefer to stay”. Addressing reporters at an economic summit, he accused the GOP of being scared of widows and orphans and punctuated the upbraiding by calling their rhetoric a potent recruitment tool for the Islamic State. Gardner and his group are appealing to the Obama administration to help the refugees stay in their own country. “The answer is to lead, to resolve the problem in Syria”, he said.
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Even on migrant boats crossing the Mediterranean, Christians have been attacked and thrown overboard to their deaths by Muslims outraged because they were praying.
