22 States reject - won't accept refugees who have not been security screened.

Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 10 years, 7 months ago to News
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UPDATE: Republican State Rep. Sheila Butt is asking for her colleagues to sign a letter to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam urging him to stop the state's relocation effort for Syrian refugees who haven't undergone a background check. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsay and State House Speaker Beth Harwell have also called for a "moratorium" on the process, according to the Tennessean.

In New Hampshire, Gov. Maggie Hassan has joined Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte in calling for a suspension of the re-settling effort until a better vetting system is in place. Hassan is challenging Ayotte for re-election in 2016.

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker said his state won't accept Syrian refugees over security concerns:

In light of these horrific and tragic attacks, our first priority must be to protect our citizens. Along with governors across the country, I have deep concerns about the Obama Administration’s plan to accept 10,000 or more Syrian refugees, especially given that one of the Paris attackers was reportedly a Syrian refugee. In consultation with our Adjutant General, who also serves as my Homeland Security Advisor, it is clear that the influx of Syrian refugees poses a threat.With this in mind, I am calling upon the President to immediately suspend the program pending a full review of its security and acceptance procedures. The State of Wisconsin will not accept new Syrian refugees.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.Furthermore, I am opposed to recently introduced legislation encouraging the state to accept Syrian refugees in Wisconsin.

UPDATE II: It's up to 15 states now.

UPDATED MAP: 15 states now saying no to Syrian refugees https://t.co/1LbFaGD5SB http://pic.twitter.com/9n9USBmWin
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 16, 2015

Original Post

In light of the atrocious terrorist attacks committed by ISIS in Paris, there are a growing number of states that are rejecting relocation of refugees. Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan suspended relocation efforts over the weekend. Gov. Bobby Jindal followed suit, even though a few batches of refugees have already arrived in the Bayou State.

So far, sixteen states have refused to relocate Syrian refugees over security concerns, especially after it was reported that one of the Paris attackers was embedded with the growing tide of refugees flooding into Europe (via the Hill):

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.

[…]

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 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.

[…]

"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.

[…]

"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.”

Today, it was announced that Gov. Charlie Baker won't accept Syrian refugees into Massachusetts until a better security policy is formulated. Right now, the FBI has admitted that they don’t have the resources to screen every Syrian refugee entering the country, and the cap for accepting refugees overall is set to increase over the next couple of years. The 70,000 quota will surge to 85,000 by 2016–and possibly as high as 100,000 in 2017.

Obama touts "rigorous vetting and security checks" for refugees that the FBI and DHS say don't exist
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) November 16, 2015

The vast majority of these refugees pouring into Europe are men between the ages of 18 and 45. Without a proper screening process, it’s a glaring national security issue–and one that should be taken seriously. Is it rational to leave us open to a possible terrorist attack? Is it flippant to adopt a wait and see what happens attitude with these refugees? I don’t think we should leave it up to chance. If a compromise should be made, then maybe the U.S. should just accept the women and children only.

Katie wrote earlier today about Obama’s shameful press conference, where our commander-in-chief literally said his disastrous ISIS policy is working. The president’s own military advisers have voiced their concern over his effete strategy to defeat an enemy that has shown it’s far from being “contained.”

Right now, it seems the mindset of Texas, Michigan, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Indiana, Arkansas, Alabama and Massachusetts is if the president isn’t going to have a rational security policy regarding these refugees, then we will.

I can’t blame them.


All Comments

  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 10 years, 6 months ago
    They can not properly Vet All these bicameral s out, if they claim to be muslim then they are islamic and most probably in favor of shria law no matter where they might lie their heads at night.
    That is the problem.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Nah, not stand there. More likely a war of attrition. Sometimes fast track, sometimes more drawn out.
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  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • Posted by $ 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Standard procedure to train certain former members of the dark side and use them to hunt down the other side. Motives are the same as everywhere. Sex, Money, Revenge.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Wow it went from three to zero and so did mine...Personally I think they ought to give back the whole area to the Kurds. Saladin was a Kurd. That was one of Bush the First screw ups.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    one point until you quoted huffington but I'll give it back because I LIKE Kurds and Ways. wow that jumped down to one and up to three! I'm a freaking miracle worker. Must have been one of those left wing infiltrators.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm going to quibble with you, but the very people I cited have come out and openly stated that it is not possible to vet these people because the information to do so does not exist. They couldn't vet them if they wanted to. There are no Social Security databases, no fingerprint databases, etc. to refer to. These potential immigrants can lie and say whatever they want if they so choose and we have no way of determining if they are telling the truth.

    Now, does Obama want them vetted before entry into the United States? Obviously not, as he has taken no measures to look for the safety or interest of US citizens. Indeed, it can be said rather to the contrary that his actions show reckless disregard for the safety and interests of US citizens.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by teri-amborn 10 years, 6 months ago
    The current law pertaining to refugee relocation had to do with relocating the peaceful Hmong population from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to this country as a reward for protecting our soldiers during the ill-fated Vietnam conflict. They were friendly...and assimilated well.
    This refugee crisis is the diametrical opposite EXCEPT for the fact that our military involvement in the separate regions brought about each refugee crisis.
    Perhaps we should divide our issues.
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  • Posted by blackswan 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You obviously haven't been paying attention to the behavior of Afghan and Iraqi troops who shoot American soldiers. The only justification for your proposal is if you're volunteering to be embedded with those folks. If not, go to the beach and lie in the sun until the feeling goes away.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 6 months ago in reply to this comment.
    They don't want to. It's not impossible. They don't wish to divert resources needed for other pursuits. There will be some game playing and the usual political crap then they will do as they are told to do ....dragging their feet all the way. Obama has already lost the willing protecting capability of the majority of his security forces. He'd be a fool to antagonize the remainder. Mmmmmmmmm a minute. The operative word is the operative word. 'be a fool.' I withdraw the statement.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by slfisher 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I understand, but

    a. To a lot of people, all brown Middle Easterners look alike
    b. He is a big supporter of refugee issues in general
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 7 months ago
    I believe the refusal count now exceeds 35 including my home state the country of flowers. However, the refusal is strictly for show, since Federal law trumps any state action. (Note: No capital on "trump".)
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Interesting, although the Kurdish refugees present a substantially different issue than the Syrians.
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  • Posted by wiggys 10 years, 7 months ago
    why accept any refugees at all. there are no unbiased muslims to begin with. let them all stay in the 7th century for ever since they like it so much and not let them bring us to their level. and yes get rid of the muslim in the white house.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    IMHO, here's how it will go when the Caliphate is imported to and installed in the Gulch:

    1) Original Gulch members will get to enjoy Dhimmi status.
    2) Any "believer" that becomes apostate by switching to Objectivism will be put to death.
    3) Female Gulch members that capitulate and join Islam to escape Dhimmi status will get to experience what it is to be reduced to burka wearing enslaved breeding stock.

    Of course, the installation of the Caliphate will include a period of time where objecting Objectivists get murdered by the truckload.

    Conservative headline news, or Islamic theocracy current events preceded with 1400 years of Muslim history?
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by LibertyBelle 10 years, 7 months ago
    One possible solution might be this: I have heard
    that the majority of Syrian "refugees" are young
    men 18-34 years old. (I don't know if that is true);
    but anyway, possibly we could tell them: all right,
    if you want to get into the U.S.--we're going to organize military units composed of refugees, and only refugees,except theyare to be commanded
    by American officers and non-coms/petty officers; and we are going to send this/these unit(s) to fight against ISIS. After ISIS is de-
    feated, we may consider you for American citi-
    zenship. If you accept this offer, well and good.
    If you decline it, we won't let you into this coun-
    try. Even then, I don't know that that would work
    with the women and children. Women could
    possibly be terrorists. As to children, once they
    are searched upon entry to see that they don't
    have any grenades strapped to them, I think it
    would be unlikely in their case.--Perhaps women
    could go into the units, though personally I don't
    think women could be as effective in combat,
    not having as much physical strength. Still,
    maybe they could be an auxiliary like WAC, or
    something. But messages, and things like that,
    I don't know (because of spying). It would be necessary to keep
    the fighters under the authority of Americans, to
    prevent infiltration and takeover by Islamoterror-
    ists.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The FBI and National Intelligence directors have already gone on record as saying that there is no way to vet these refugees at all. That to me says volumes - even if it weren't for the fact that the vast majority of the first group of refugees weren't women, children, or the elderly, but rather young males 18-35.

    No, that's not suspicious at all. [/sarcasm]
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Idaho is also one of those cash-strapped states - even though it is a Republican stronghold. There was a question on local talk radio this morning about Governor Otter's stance on the matter, because while he wasn't quite calling for an outright moratorium in immigration (both the capital Boise and Twin Falls are major resettlement locations), his calls for better vetting were significantly less forceful than most constituents' desires.
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  • Posted by Esceptico 10 years, 7 months ago
    In addition to security, Germany seems to now be fighting diseases long gone from Europe, such as TB and other dread illnesses. Women who will not allow a male physician to examine or treat them. Good luck. They want to live like this, so be it. Just do not do it here. These refugees apparently do not want to adapt to a new country. They want the new countries to adapt to them. I agree, cruel as it may seem, to keep them out. Besides, as mentioned here, if Obama is so correct that it is now safe for them to return to the places outside of the contained area.
    Reply | Permalink  

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