Donald Trump Says Barack Obama Is Deliberating Sending Syrian Refugees To Republican States
Donald Trump says President Barack Obama is intentionally sending Syrian refugees to Republican states. At least 30 governors have made formal announcements that their states will not allow the “resettlement” of any refugees. The majority of the states refusing refugees are governed by Republicans, but a growing number of Democrats have come out in support of Paul Ryan’s bill to “pause” Obama’s refugee program.
Trump stated that Barack Obama is deliberately attempting to resettle Syrian refugees in Republican states and allowing Democratic states to remain free from the potential ISIS terrorists hidden among the refugees, Politico reports.
Donald Trump Holds Press Conference Before MA Rally (11-18-15) https://t.co/z59ZJviYVB via @YouTube
— TIMENOUT (@TIMENOUT) November 19, 2015
Donald Trump had this to say about Syrian refugees and President Obama.
“They send them to the Republicans, not to the Democrats, you know, because they know the problems. In California, you have a Democrat as a governor (Jerry Brown). In Florida, you have Rick Scott (a Republican). So you know they send them to the Republicans because you know why would we want to bother the Democrats? It’s just insane. Taking these people is absolutely insanity.”
Thirty-one states are led by Republican governors. An independent candidate won the top office in the state in Alaska.
Human Rights Watch Refugee Right Program Director Bill Frelick maintains that no political bias is at play by Obama. According to Frelick, the decision on resettlement location of the Syrian refugees was based upon a number of factors. The issues considered before a refugee is sent to a particular state include any familial ties or other close connections and the ability of “voluntary agencies” to provide case management services, PolitiFact reports. Each year, the State Department reportedly chooses to work with nine voluntary agencies to help determine the number of refugees each entity can aid. The agencies consist of six faith-based organizations and three non-sectarian groups.
The nine groups the State Department is currently working with to resettle the Syrian refugees reportedly include Church World Service, the Ethiopian Community Development Council, Episcopal Migration Ministries, HIAS, the International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services, and World Relief.
If a state has a large number of refugees, it is because a large amount of family links to a specific nationality is present, human rights advocates maintain.
At #G20Turkey @POTUS slams GOP for idea of religious test for refugees https://t.co/dImfEH2udo via @TalKopan pic.twitter.com/wTGxduCtky
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) November 16, 2015
“That is why Michigan has so many refugees resettled there — it is where Iraqis and Syrians have expressed a preference, due to family or other community links,” Hetfield said.
This year alone, Michigan has accepted 195 Syrian refugees. Hetfield also claimed that the Obama administration has not attempted to influence the resettlement location decision-making process.
Earlier this week on Sean Hannity’s show, Donald Trump urged the House of Representatives to use the power of the purse to thwart Obama’s Syrian refugees program, Fox News reports.
“Now we have the House and the Senate. Nothing’s happened. It’s the same exact story in a certain way with all of his executive orders. Obama’s always doing better. I am more disappointed in the Republicans than in the Democrats. At least the Democrats, we know where they’re coming from. The Republicans have done nothing,” Trump said when referencing the high expectations Republican voters have after garnering majorities in both the House and the Senate.
What do you think of Donald Trump’s comment about Obama pushing Syrian refugees into Republican states? Do Syrian refugees pose a national security risk?
[Image via AP Photo/Steven Senne]
