Monday, November 16, 2015

NYT: 2 U.S. Governors, Alabama, Michigan, Say They Will Not Allow Resettlement of Syrian Refugees - What were they thinking in the first place?! --tma



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The governors of Alabama and Michigan said on Sunday they would not allow refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria to be resettled in their states, citing the attacks on Paris.
“As your governor, I will not stand complicit to a policy that places the citizens of Alabama in harm’s way,” Gov. Robert J. Bentley of Alabama, a Republican, said in a statement.
In Michigan, which has a sizable Arab-American population, Gov. Rick Snyder, also a Republican, said his state would not accept Syrian refugees, and he urged the State Department to review its procedures.
Syrians have already settled in Michigan, with one agency relocating about 200 of them in the past year, The Detroit Free-Press reported.
“Michigan is a welcoming state and we are proud of our rich history of immigration,” Mr. Snyder said in a statement. “But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents.”
Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has asked White House officials for information on how many Syrian refugees have relocated to his state, The Associated Press reported. Governor Jindal, a Republican, said he sought the information “in hopes that the night of horror in Paris is not duplicated here.” ...
http://www.nytimes.com/live/paris-attacks-live-updates/alabama-governor-says-he-will-refuse-syrian-refugees