Refusal of Refugees

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said Monday he will "temporarily suspend" efforts to admit Syrian refugees, while also talking about the state and country's "shared history of providing safe haven for those displaced by conflict." "We must find a way to balance our tradition as a state welcoming of refugees while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens," he said. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who previously said he was open to helping resettle Syrians, now says he is "not Interested." "I would say no as of right now," he on Monday. "No, I'm not interested in accepting refugees from Syria." North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory announced Monday that he is asking the govemment to stop sending Syrian refugees to his state. He said 59 Syrian refugees had been resettled there already and the state received too little information about them. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent President Barack Obama a letter telling him his state would not welcome Syrians and urging him to halt plans to admit more of them into the U .S. Abbott argued that any Syrian might be connected to terrorism. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter said in a statement that it makes no sense "to allow people into our country who have the avowed desire to harm our communities, our institutions and our people." He said he would "use any legal means available" to block Syrian refugee resettlement in the state. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker joined the chorus on Monday afternoon. "There may be those who will try to take advantage Of the generosity Of our country and the ability to move freely within our borders through this federal resettlement program, and we must ensure we are doing all we can to safeguard the security of Americans," he said in a statement. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey took the most extreme approach — he announced he will oppose the resettlement of all refugees in his state, not just those from Syria. Others were more moderate. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) said Monday he wants the White House to review how it screens refugees, but did not say he would try to block Syrians from his state. Some governors, including Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) and Washington Gov. went in the opposite direction, affirming Monday they will welcome Syrian refugees. "Our first priority remains the safety of our residents," Hickenlooper said in a statement. "We will work with the federal government and Homeland Security to ensure the national verification processes for refugees are as stringent as possible. We can protect our security and provide a place where the world's most vulnerable can rebuild their lives. " Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) also said his state would continue to admit Syrian refugees. But he will soon be replaced by incoming Gov. Matt Bevin (R), who them. Obama said Monday he remained committed to taking in Syrian refugees, but they must go through rigorous screening.

Works Cited
Foley, Elise. "Here's a Running Tally of the Governors Who Want to Reject Syrian Refugees." Republican Governors Syrian Refugees. Huffington Post, 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.


Response:
The terrorist attacks continue to linger in people's minds so much that they have started to take measures into their own hands. It is easy to see why people, namely the governors, would want to reject the refugees after the Paris attacks, yet the situation for the refugees becomes more desperate, more like a crisis for them. These governors, with their people in mind, are wise to keep the refugees out, even if it means that refugees will have to find refuge elsewhere. Hopefully, the US will support the refugees in another way.