Thread: Seven states refuse Syrian refugees

Seven states refuse Syrian refugees



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By Jesse Byrnes - 11/16/15 10:07 AM EST
The Hill

Seven Republican governors have announced that Syrian refugees won't be allowed to resettle in their states in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in Paris.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley issued statements Sunday saying that they wanted to prioritize the safety of the residents in their states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a GOP presidential candidate; Arkansas Gov. Gov. Asa Hutchinson; Indiana Gov. Mike Pence; and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant joined them on Monday.

"Michigan is a welcoming state and we are proud of our rich history of immigration," Snyder said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents."

The governor had previously said he was working with the Obama administration on plans to resettle Syrian refugees, with at least 200 already relocated by one agency, according to the newspaper.

Snyder said his state wouldn't allow for any Syrian refugees until the Department of Homeland Security reviewed its procedures for accepting migrants, according to the Free Press.

Alabama currently has a single refugee processing center, in Mobile, approved by the State Department, but it hasn't relocated any Syrian refugees, according to Bentley's office.

“The acts of terror committed over the weekend are a tragic reminder to the world that evil exists and takes the form of terrorists who seek to destroy the basic freedoms we will always fight to preserve," Bentley said in his statement.

"I will not place Alabamians at even the slightest, possible risk of an attack on our people," he added.

"The threat posed to Texas by ISIS is very real," Abbott wrote in a letter Monday urging President Obama to halt his plans, pointing to a foiled ISIS-inspired plot in Garland, Texas, in May, among other incidents.

"A Syrian 'refugee' appears to have been part of the Paris terror attack. American humanitarian compassion could be exploited to expose Americans to similar deadly danger," Abbott wrote.

"All departments, budget units, agencies, offices, entities, and officers of the executive branch of the State of Louisiana are authorized and directed to utilize all lawful means to prevent the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the State of Louisiana while this Order is in effect," Jindal wrote in an executive order issued Monday.

"The Louisiana State Police, upon receiving information of a Syrian refugee already relocated within the State of Louisiana, are authorized and directed to utilize all lawful means to monitor and avert threats within the State of Louisiana," he added.

"As Governor I will oppose Syrian refugees being relocated to Arkansas," Hutchinson tweeted.

"Indiana has a long tradition of opening our arms and homes to refugees from around the world but, as governor, my first responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of all Hoosiers," Pence wrote in a statement. "Unless and until the state of Indiana receives assurances that proper security measures are in place, this policy will remain in full force and effect.”

"I will do everything humanly possible to stop any plans from the Obama administration to put Syrian refugees in Mississippi," Bryant said in a statement, according to MS News Now. "The policy of bringing these individuals into the country is not only misguided, it is extremely dangerous. I’ll be notifying President Obama of my decision today to resist this potential action."

A top aide to Obama said Sunday that the Obama administration still plans to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S. over the next year despite the Paris attacks.“We had very robust vetting procedures for those refugees," White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said on Fox News.

“There are women and children, orphans of this war, and I think we need to do our part along with our allies to provide them a safe haven,” Rhodes added.

The plan to allow the Syrian refugees into the U.S. has faced fresh criticism after the attack that left 129 dead and hundreds more injured. At least one suspect reportedly slipped into France among asylum seekers.

Obama maintained during remarks earlier Monday at the G-20 meeting in Turkey that the U.S. would continue to accept the refugees, including Syrians, only after "rigorous" security screenings.

"Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values," he said.

This report was updated at 1:01 a.m.

http://thehill.com/policy/national-s...yrian-refugees

This is great news! Let's keep up the pressure with our calls!

http://www.alipac.us/f8/call-your-go...-state-325468/

It's now 12 states.

CINCINNATI – Add Ohio to the growing list of states refusing to take in Syrian refugees amid heightened security concerns following Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris.

Michigan and Alabama were the first states in the country to refuse relocating Syrian refugees on Sunday. They were later joined by Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Arizona, North Carolina and Mississippi.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/state/state...using-refugees

Update: We are up to 12 states now!

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina are all now saying no to Syrian refugees!

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Update: We are up to 12 states now!

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina are all now saying no to Syrian refugees!

W

It's 13 with Ohio!