Posted: Thursday, March 10, 2016 10:59 am | Updated: 5:09 pm, Thu Mar 10, 2016. By MEGAN STRICKLAND/Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday morning to send a letter to federal officials opposing bringing refugees to the Flathead Valley.

Thunderous applause from a standing-room-only crowd greeted the decision.

The letter is addressed to the assistant secretary of the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and says that the commissioners are opposed to bringing refugees to the Flathead Valley because federal security officials have indicated that it is difficult to screen people coming from war-torn nations.

“Second of all, I’m very worried about the costs of schools, social security and safety,” Commissioner Philip Mitchell said.

Mitchell said that he had 40 phone calls about the letter over a two-day period — and 38 were in favor of it.

Commission Chairwoman Pamela Holmquist said no refugee resettlement agencies have approached the county government to resettle immigrants.

Kalispell resident Yvonne Stottler told the commissioners that she did not believe Syrian refugees agree with separation of church and state, American values or the U.S. Constitution.

“Islam is not just a religion, it is a theocracy that controls every part of a person’s life and requires its followers to put Shariah law in place where ever they go,” Stottler said. “Montana would be better served by spending the money for refugees on veterans, homeless Montanans than persons whose goal it is to destroy our American way of life.”

Dee Boon also was concerned about security and providing for citizens already in the valley.

“Why would we want to place these refugees into our communities without knowing who they are?” Boon said. “Currently in Flathead County we do not have a surplus of affordable housing for our own residents, much less for an influx of refugees.”

The 15-minute public comment period Thursday expired with people still lined up out the door to speak, but none of the speakers who were heard were against the letter.

Local Montana Human Rights Network affiliate group Love Lives Here issued a statement against the letter.

“We are very disappointed that the Flathead County commissioners have been misled to believe it is impossible to adequately investigate refugees coming to the United States,” Love Lives Here chairman Will Randall said.

Randall said the process of vetting refugees is “thorough and rigorous” and can take up to two years. Randall also doesn’t think that refugees will be too taxing on local government.

“Flathead County has grown by an average of about 1,300 people per year over the last few years; we doubt a few refugees will overburden the system,” Randall said.

Holmquist told the crowd that the letter would serve as the commissioners’ comment to Gov. Steve Bullock on the issue of bringing refugees to Montana. The governor’s staff has been evaluating that state’s refugee acceptance policy.

Holmquist acknowledged Wednesday that federal officials have the final say on where refugees are placed.

The issue has come under scrutiny in Montana in recent months after a group called Soft Landing in January gained approval from the Missoula County commissioners to work with an international nonprofit to bring up to 100 Syrian refugees to Missoula.

On Feb. 23, the Flathead Valley chapter of ACT for America hosted a meeting emphasizing the possible risks of bringing refugees to communities. Around 460 people attended.

A week later, a crowd of around 80 people in favor of refugee acceptance gathered in Depot Park. A handful of anti-refugee protesters held signs on the opposite side of the roadway.

Commissioners: No refugees here - Daily Inter Lake: Local/Montana