In response to the calls from governors to prevent Syrian refugees from coming to their states, Lavinia Limon, president and CEO of the U.S Committee for Refugees and Immigration, said under the Refugee Act of 1980 governors can not legally block refugees from settling in their communities.
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A few of these states previously did not object to the refugee plan.
The governors of MI, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Louisiana (all fellow Republicans) made similar statements-seven state executives in all.
That fact has spurred a strong reaction from many politicians here in the United States over the resettlement of Syrian refugees, with swift opposition from many Republican governors, and one Democrat, to further resettlement of Syrian refugees in their states.
Refugee advocates argued that the governors and other Republicans are targeting those who are overwhelmingly victims rather than perpetrators of extremist violence. We also have to remember that many of these refugees are the victims of terrorism themselves, that’s what they’re fleeing. A Syrian “refugee” appears to have been part of the Paris terror attack. Funded by the federal government, the post coordinates resettlement efforts with agencies such as hers and directs federal funds for refugees.
Scott pointed out in his letter that Florida does not have the authority to stop the federal government from relocating Syrians to the state.
Gov. Mike Pence says he is telling all state agencies to suspend the resettlement of additional Syrian refugees in IN following the deadly attacks in Paris.
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is calling on Congress to withdraw funding to resettle Syrian refugees in the United States, arguing there is no credible way to tell the difference between an Islamic State militant and an innocent citizen fleeing war.
“You can’t pick up the phone and call Syria, and that’s one of the reasons why I said we won’t be able to take more refugees”, Rubio said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
“Unfortunately, we do not know for certain if ME has any Syrian refugees at this time”, LaPage said in a radio address. But Gov. John Hickenlooper says the federal government needs to make sure the verification process for refugees is “as stringent as possible”. “We can and must do both”. They were a complete reversal from September, when the Republican presidential contender said US should “play their role” in taking in refugees without committing to a specific number after a photograph of a dead migrant child humanized the migrant influx.
In other cases, potential refugees who are close relatives of people granted asylum in the US or other refugees already in the country can apply directly with the USA government.
Since 2012, three refugees from Syria have been placed in Jenks.
“Even as we accept more refugees, including Syrians, we do so only after subjecting them to rigorous screenings and security checks”.
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There are plans to open a refugee settlement-processing center in Erbil, Iraq, before the end of 2015.
