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.
States, for all practical purposes, have no such power. If a refugee gets a green card, it won't say much about his terrorist intentions, if he has any. If the police checks the document and finds that the subject is an immigrant... nothing can be concluded from that. Furthermore, if someone does conclude something, it may be illegal. The right to be on the US soil is given by the federal government, as it controls the border. The states have no easy means, outside of Congress, of questioning it:
"Today's ruling appropriately bars the state of Arizona from effectively criminalizing unlawful status in the state and confirms the federal government's exclusive authority to regulate in the area of immigration," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
Indeed.
tyvm
Nullllly :)
Wyoming and Montana to join soon?
The rest of the opposing states should just invade Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, Utah, ND, SD and Nevada and give the opposition there an opportunity to be refugees or something else. The rest there is no hope for and no particular need.
Thanks for the good work.
Leni
Thanks for that link, montag.
Ping!
God Bless Florida...
God bless every last one of us that wants to defend our families and restore our way of life.
I think the states who refuse and do the same as they did with the illegal amnesty — FIND a foundation to sue and keep it tied up in the courts until obama is finished ... it can be done ... ask the 26 states who sued on the amnesty issue ... it is dead in the water... obama has a year or so left - just eat the thing up in the courts - appeal appeal appeal ...
When a legal standing needs to be found - IT CAN BE FOUND...
That’s Holder’s cup half full PR. As your link correctly states the “heart remains”. Law enforcement continues to be able to ask for proof of legal status. All other provisions are already against the law at the federal level, with the exception of the ‘Home Depot’ day labor solicitation provision. Although that’s generally considered loitering.
In the end I’m betting Obama leaves this alone, the pushback is too big now. He’ll dial his numbers way back and bring them in through blue states.
STATES OPPOSING SYRIAN REFUGEES (27):
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire (D), New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
CNN is reporting this now More than half the nation's governors say Syrian refugees not welcome
Time to start blowing up Prince Andrew’s phone
Not that he’ll change his pea sized mind.
That’ a huge relief! Beshear’s attitude in the face so many common sense approaches by other Governors is the very height of Liberal derangement. It seemed to be more what you’d expect from a much more Liberal State.
Add Iowa to the list
I wonder if we can Article V impeach Obama.
I would like to see some stronger push back. Like State chambers passing votes of no confidence resolution on the Administration.
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