Posted on 11/16/2015 9:47:39 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
"Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values," [Obama] said.
Six 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; and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence 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."
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.
I got to see Trump in Knoxville as have OAN. Don’t know if there was a live feed link here on FR but sure the video of Trump will be up soon on YouTube. He was awesome per usual.
Hope you get to see it and hopefully after Wednesday’s event in MA. :)
Thanks.
Great idea, I am going to call again tomorrow to say, “Thank You, Governor Scott.”
The use of automatic weapons is fine by me!
Chris Christie is conducting a war on 3 year old orphans /sarc
3 year old orphans hit the hardest.
Wow. Looks like an all out mutiny against the Feds. Wonder how much play this will get on the evening news.
Way to go. I hope all the state Governor's step up. Idaho just did.
Thanks. CA figures. They are going to Sacramento among other places there - way to close to me.
PS- That’s the 75 refugees we’re being told about damn it.
LOL!!! Always wondered what you and gunner looked like.
http://www.koat.com/news/gov-martinez-opposes-fed-plan-to-accept-more-syrian-refugees/36486074
Gov. Martinez opposes federal plan to accept more Syrian refugees
SANTA FE, N.M. —New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she’s opposed to the Obama administration’s plan to accept any more Syrian refugees until there’s a clear plan in place to properly vet and place them.
Martinez made the comment Monday as several U.S. governors threatened to halt efforts to allow Syrian refugees into their states in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Martinez, the nation’s only Latina governor and a leader within the Republican Governors Association, says the top priority should be safety.
The Obama administration recently pledged to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees. Governors in many states are responding to heightened concerns terrorists might use the refugees as cover to sneak across borders.
Government statistics show the U.S. has taken about 2,150 Syrians since October 2011 — most in the last year.
Yes!! OKLAHOMA IS IN! Inhoff announced it on Chuck Todd’s show!
CNN claims 22 states are all in, so far, per Dana Bash.
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