GROWING NUMBER OF U.S. STATES SEEK TO BLOCK ACCEPTANCE OF SYRIAN REFUGEES

USPA NEWS - A growing list of governors and lawmakers are moving to block US acceptance of Syrian refugees, inciting outrage from the Muslim and immigrant communities who say it is Muslims who have suffered the most from Isis attacks....

A growing list of governors and lawmakers are moving to block US acceptance of Syrian refugees, inciting outrage from the Muslim and immigrant communities who say it is Muslims who have suffered the most from Isis attacks.


Michigan and Alabama were the first states in the country to refuse relocating Syrian refugees on Sunday, and they have now been joined by Oklahoma, Nebraska, Idaho, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Georgia, Maine, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and Iowa, some of which say more information is needed before accepting more refugees. (ABC)

'The Governor has always made clear that we must ensure robust refugee screening to protect American citizens, and the Governor believes that the federal government should halt acceptance of refugees from Syria until intelligence and defense officials can assure that the process for vetting all refugees, including those from Syria, is as strong as possible to ensure the safety of the American people,' William Hinkle, a spokesman for New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, said in a statement.

The State Department said it would not change its plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year amid ongoing conflict in the country. States do not have the authority to refuse entry to migrants because resettlement is federally funded, and many governors continue to support the refugee plan.The White House plans to hold a conference call with governors later Tuesday, according to Reuters, citing media reports. It was not immediately clear how many states would participate. (CNBC)

But Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders told a crowd at Cleveland State University on Monday the US must not'“succumb to Islamophobia' by turning its back on refugees fleeing the fighting in Syria.

Rashida Tlaib, a former state representative and current manager of the Take on Hate campaign, said Michigan´s governor, Rick Snyder´s suspension of the refugee program sent a perverse message, 'especially because these are the same families that had the courage to stand up against these same attackers, against this sort of violence'.

Dr Muzammil Ahmed, chairperson of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, said the group was 'disappointed' by Snyder´s 'very knee-jerk' decision. The governor has been 'great to work with, he has a very comprehensive vision when it comes to immigrants', Ahmed said. But, he added, the suspension of relocation efforts across the US will only fuel the narrative from Isis of 'us versus them'. (The Guardian)

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