Syrian Refugees: Unwelcome in More Than Half of the United States

More than half of United States governors are issuing statements expressing opposition towards the resettling of Syrian refugees in their respective states. Despite resistance from governors, the federal government will ultimately decide whether or not to accept the refugees. Governors are not legally allowed to block refugees from entering the state, according to the Refugee Act of 1980.

The sudden change in opinion for governors began with the unfolding investigation of the recent terrorist attacks targeting Paris and Beirut. Authorities revealed that at least one of the suspects involved with the Paris attacks, Ahmad al Muhammad, entered Europe through false identification as a Syrian refugee. The development in the investigation shocked most people and politicians, changing the minds of those who were once willing to accept the refugees.

The concerns of most politicians derive from the need to protect the American people. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is proud of the state’s rich history of immigration, “But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents,” he said.  Florida Senator, Marco Rubio, expressed his concern about the lack of credible government records in Syria. Investigators for the Paris and Beirut attacks have confirmed that there are questionable Syrian identification papers that are possibly forged, according to CNN.  “It’s not that we don’t want to – it’s that we can’t,” Rubio told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “Because there’s no way to background check someone that’s coming from Syria.”

States whose governors refuse to resettle Syrian refugees (according to CNN):