US State Department lawyers say states can not lawfully stop refugees.
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Administration officials told reporters in a conference call Tuesday that refugee resettlement is a federal program, and refugees are free to move around the country.
The comments came during a meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino, in which he warned that the anti-refugee sentiments could become a recruiting tool for the Islamic State.
“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.
On Tuesday night, the Obama administration pushed back.
The administration officials assured the governors that the refugees would undergo the most rigorous screening and security vetting of any category of traveller to the United States, the White House said in a statement.
“Our nation has always been welcoming but we can not let terrorists take advantage”, Ryan, a Republican, said yesterday.
“After full consideration of this weekend’s attacks of terror on innocent citizens in Paris, I will oppose any attempt to relocate Syrian refugees to Alabama through the US Refugee Admissions Program”.
GOP congressional aides said lawmakers are getting swamped by calls from constituents demanding action to ensure the U.S.is protected from such threats. The USA will accept 85,000 people in 2016 and 100,000 in 2017.
“We have the authority right now under the existing AUMF”, Ryan said, referring to the 2001 AUMF that was broadly written in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
Florida Governor Rick Scott appeared on CNN Tuesday afternoon to discuss why he doesn’t want Syrian refugees coming into the state.
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Top staff from the White House, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department fielded questions from the governors for 90 minutes and reassured them that they were doing the most thorough vetting possible of Syrian refugees, according to brief notes from the call provided by the White House. During this process, the vast majority of applicants are rejected. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, Mr. Obama said a few of the same people who have suggested stopping refugees from coming into the country also have suggested that they are tough enough to just stare down Russian President Vladimir Putin. “They directly report to nonprofit agencies, so we have to get the information for the nonprofit agencies that the federal government and immigration refer them to”.
