Posted on 11/17/2015 2:32:43 AM PST by markomalley
Gov. Terry McAuliffe indicated Monday that Virginia would not be among the growing number of U.S. states seeking to block Syrian refugees, despite calls from Republicans for the state to close its doors to those fleeing war in Syria as a security precaution following Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.
More than a dozen governors, most of them Republican, said Monday they would attempt to block Syrian refugees from their states after the attacks in France, believed to be the work of the Islamic State, that killed nearly 130 people and left hundreds more wounded.
The revelation that one of the attackers may have traveled to France by using a Syrian passport and posing as a refugee has renewed debate about national security and President Barack Obama’s decision to accept up to 10,000 Syrian refugees for resettlement in the U.S.
Virginia Republicans urged McAuliffe to refuse to accept Syrian refugees, many of them women and children fleeing the violence of the country’s civil war, for the next two years. Four Republican members of the House of Delegates said they will introduce legislation in the 2016 General Assembly session that would impose a moratorium on taking Syrian refugees.
“This legislation is being proposed in response to recent terrorist attacks in France, as we have seen radicals use the refugee crisis as a means to enter other countries,” Del. Timothy D. Hugo, R-Fairfax, said in a written statement. “Before we can allow further resettlement in Virginia, we must have full confidence in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its procedures. Virginia is a welcoming state, but our first priority is the safety of our citizens.”
Other Republican lawmakers backing the measure are Dels. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, Gregory D. Habeeb, R-Salem, and G. Manoli Loupassi, R-Richmond.
“The current refugee resettlement program used by the United States is not sufficient to filter out the small percent of radicals that will take advantage of the current crisis, and it is with the safety and well-being of all Virginians in mind that we call on the governor to halt the acceptance of Syrian refugees,” said Loupassi.
In a statement, the governor’s office said security measures are in place for all refugees entering the United States, but did not say directly whether the governor supports or opposes bringing refugees to Virginia.
“With respect to refugees, the governor and his public safety team are in constant communication with federal authorities about all refugee resettlements, including those involving refugees from Syria,” McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said in a written statement.
“Every refugee who is settled in the U.S. undergoes intensive security screening, and the governor has asked Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran to ensure that every proper precaution is taken to keep Virginians safe.”
The governor left Friday for an 11-day trade mission to India and the Middle East, where he recently met with leaders of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates to discuss economic development.
U.S. Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va., who has pushed for the U.S. to accept Syrian refugees in greater numbers, blasted the state-by-state crackdown on accepting refugees.
“Our first priority must always be to protect the safety and security of American citizens,” Kaine said in a statement. “But I am very disappointed in the xenophobic response from governors across the country today who vowed to keep Syrian families who have passed rigorous background checks from entering their states — refugees who are fleeing the very same violence and terror that we saw on the streets of Paris last week.”
Since the beginning of 2012, 24 Syrian refugees have been resettled in Virginia, according to the Refugee Processing Center, the administrator of a computerized refugee tracking system for the U.S Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
About half of the refugee placements, 13, occurred this year. Falls Church, Burke in Fairfax County and Charlottesville have seen the most refugee placements, with six each. Two refugees have settled in Newport News, Roanoke and Centreville, also in Fairfax County.
The governors seeking to close their doors to the refugees also won praise from former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, McAuliffe’s opponent in the 2013 gubernatorial election.
“Nice to see some GOP governors trying to protect us since @POTUS won’t,” Cuccinelli wrote on Twitter.
At a news conference Monday at the G20 Summit in Turkey, Obama rejected the notion that America and Europe should should turn away “people who are in such vulnerable situations.”
“It is very important that we do not close our hearts to victims of such violence and somehow start equating the issue of refugees with the issue of terrorism,” Obama said.
Questions also emerged Monday as to whether governors had the power to restrict the movement of refugees given legal status to enter the country.
“We cannot keep the federal government from doing what harm it will, but we can refuse to assist them in any respect,” state Sen. Richard H. Black, R-Loudoun, said in a letter to McAuliffe.
Black gained national attention last year after he wrote a letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad praising Assad’s efforts to put down the Syrian rebellion, which Black said was “dominated by our arch-enemy, Al-Qaida.”
The American Civil Liberties Union suggested there was no legal basis for states to restrict the resettlement of refugees, saying “politicians have attempted to fabricate a link” between the Paris attacks and the resettlement of refugees.
“Making policy based on this fear mongering is wrong for two reasons,” said Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project. “It is factually wrong for blaming refugees for the very terror they are fleeing, and it is legally wrong because it violates our laws and the values on which our country was founded.”
McAuliffe is not scheduled to return from his trade mission for another week. Coy said the governor is “following the tragic events in France and sends his deepest condolences to all people affected by those senseless acts of terrorism.” The governor has asked state officials to stay in close contact with federal and local authorities.
“Nothing is more important to the governor and his team than keeping Virginians safe,” Coy said.
Keep writing and calling anyway. Let the bastard feel the heat.
Great! McAwful rolls out the welcome mat to terrorists, all the other 49 states can send THEIR Syrian refugees to Richmond Virginia!
THANKS TERRY!!
Already there are six terrorist training camps in VA. In the name of inclusion and diversity, McAwful must want more.
interesting to see if this plays out as an election issue.
Dem governors accept these terrorists and GOP governors refuse.
How safe do you feel for your babies with these practicers of the “religion of peace” living in your hood there baby?
I suggest that he bring in 100,000 Syrian (Ha!) Refugees in the DC suburbs of North Virginia - Just across the river from DC.
It seems like they're already there. And in the Md suburbs as well.
Yes, that’s true, but those are the legal ones. Lots of Indians and others who aren’t Muslims, too.
Jackass. And yet ISIS specifically threatens DC and the 9-11 hijackers specifically used Northern Virginia as their base of operations. Stuck on stupid.
“We love our downtrodden muslim brothers from Syria. They are continually victimized, terrorized, and slain en mass by real Christian terrorists, whom our diligent and learned president will be sure to keep out of our beloved country,” the Governor said today. He continued, “Keeping our newest citizens close to the seat of our Federal government will help them understand how it works and what are the best ways and times to interact with our leaders.
“I’m told that some among these new citizens are sleeping. I don’t get that, but I hope that when they wake, they will take part in the activities their brethren have planned.”
Good. Thank you Punk. You just gave us back Virginia as it was trending blue.
“I’m told that some among these new citizens are sleeping. I don’t get that, but I hope that when they wake, they will take part in the activities their brethren have planned.â€........
Yea, like blow up lots of shi#, kill lots of people, rape lots of women, etc., you know, the things they normally do.
I hope McAuliffe is one of the first to get hit.
Northern VA is overrun now.
Clinton’s Bag Man is morphing into Obama’s Butt-Boy
So close to D.C.? I’d be willing to bet D.C. would prefer not to import so many so close by.
ping
After all their electoral losses the Left is still pushing this refugee thing down our throats. This has to be their endgame, to introduce terrorism into the United States and reap the benefits of widespread fear. This behavior makes no sense otherwise given the visceral reaction from so many Americans. It’s not us that’s crazy, it’s them.
I mourn not only for my country, but for Virginia. Gone are the good ole day’s of George Allen as Governor.. NVA has ruined our state. We can only hope that our local elections keeps this state in check. Any state-wide or national election...forget about it.
For those of us in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, this is very bad news.
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