Wall Street Journal: Republican Governors Oppose WH on Syrian Refugees

A November 16 story in the Wall Street Journal notes that, "almost two dozen Republican governors oppose allowing Syrian refugees to settle in their states in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, complicating the Obama administration’s efforts to ease the migrant crisis gripping the Mideast and Europe." 

State Department spokesman Mark Toner defended the integrity of the program. “We feel very strongly that we have a process in place that allows for the safe resettlement of Syrian refugees,” Mr. Toner said. “We stand by that process. It’s rigorous, it’s effective, it allows some of the most vulnerable victims of the violence in Syria a chance for a new life.”

“The reason why it’s taking us so long to process these refugees is precisely because of the thorough vetting that the United States government is doing,” said Mark Hetfield, president of the refugee resettlement organization HIAS, a nonprofit group.

“We are confident we can move forward with the plan to resettle Syrian refugees safely,” a senior Obama administration official said.

Click here to read the full story in The Wall Street Journal.

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