27 States Say, “No more refugees!”
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 18, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
The November 16th CNN article said “More than half the nation’s governors say Syrian refugees not welcome,” and listed the 27 states whose governors have good reason to feel that way. At least one of the Paris terrorists entered Europe among the wave of Syrian refugees.
Governor Nathan Deal said Georgia will not accept Syrian refugees “until the federal government and Congress conduct a thorough review of current screening procedures and background checks.” But, this is the problem: The 1980 Refugee Act gave the federal government power to place refugees anywhere in the country.
American University law professor Stephen Vladeck put it this way, “…A state can’t say it is legally objecting, but it can refuse to cooperate, which makes things much more difficult.”
Alabama’s Governor Bentley said, “After full consideration of this weekend’s attacks of terror on innocent citizens in Paris, I will oppose any attempt to relocate Syrian refugees to Alabama through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. …I will not stand complicit to a policy that places the citizens of Alabama in harm’s way.” Continue reading