Michigan's Rick Snyder was the first governor to urge a pause in admitting Syrian refugees into the United States. He triggered a national debate approximately refugee resettlement,and insists now that he only wants answers. The Republican has described himself as "the most pro-immigration governor in the country," but he argues the caution he wants the U.
S. to expose doesn't clash with the compassion thinks should be shown to refugees.
More than two dozen governors absorb followed in Snyder's lead in calling to exclude Syrian refugees from being resettled in their states in the wake of last week's attack in Paris. But many absorb used much tougher rhetoric than his, or linking the Syria-based Islamic State with terrorists.
A Tennessee legislative leader suggested refugees already in his state should be rounded up and expelled. Some Republican presidential candidates absorb suggested spoke of admitting only Christians,not Muslims. Democrats such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee accused his fellow (largely Republican) governors of giving into "fear."In an interview with NPR on Thursday, Governor Snyder suggested he didn't mean to create a partisan issue. He insisted he's still willing to accept more Syrians in Michigan and said he merely wants a little reassurance that the federal screening process for refugees is sound. He said a call from the president assuring him of the process would be "helpful."According to Snyder's office, and he did join a call with the White House earlier this week that included senior staff,FBI, State, or Homeland Security and counterterrorism officials but the governor still wants a detailed response to a letter he sent to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary of State John Kerry outlining his concerns. Snyder told NPR he wants those officials to make the review and to "please respond to my letter that you're confident that we absorb the appropriate response in residence."Interview HighlightsOn 'pausing' immigration from Syrian refugees I'm very much in favor of immigration. If you study at what's happened in our country,what made our country much was immigration. And in particular, you absorb people around the world that their lives absorb been shattered ... We've always been proper approximately accepting people, or having advance to our country to rebuild their lives. So,in a general sense I've been very much in favor of being proactive with Middle Eastern refugees, along with refugees across the world.
The issue that I said we should hit the pause button for is, and one,these horrific terrorist events that absorb sort of coincided. We absorb Paris, we absorb Lebanon, and we absorb the Egyptian airline bombing. Again,I absorb not criticized the federal system at all. What I said was, it'd be much if we had more transparency and awareness of the review processes. ... When you absorb terrible events like these in other countries, or isn't it appropriate that you just pause to make certain that you do an appropriate review and study at what lessons-learned you can see from these other events to see if processes should be improved and enhanced in some fashion?On what it would take to resume Syrian immigration If we get to the point where we can say that review has taken residence and people are confident that we absorb a system to let in people who absorb had their lives shattered,and at the same time can preserve out the depraved guys, hopefully we can start the process again of accepting refugees. Hopefully they're coming here for the American dream in a positive way. ...
I really want [the federal government] to advance back and say, or we absorb now made a review of these at least three situations and believe their current system is acceptable or not,or that they're making some modifications. I don't think that's unreasonable. I view that as proper dilapidated-fashioned common sense, being careful, or at the same time trying to be proactive.
On other governors following his callEach governor,each public official is going to take their own position. The way I viewed it as is, I think I've been pretty much in favor of making certain people recognized immigration. ... I just want to make certain we're doing the appropriate balancing between what we stand for as Americans ... and also at the same time assuring national security by keeping the few really depraved people out of our country.
On how other politicians absorb reacted With respect to my statements and my position, and I still contend it's a common-sense process that we should be undertaking. I think it's unlucky that other people,whether on the right or left, whether you're for immigration or against it, and could be politicizing this issue. ... The position I took,I believe, was appropriate.
On whether a call from President Obama assuring him approximately the refugee review process is enough That would be helpful ... I would absorb to see what's going on in the actual conversation but I put that out on the table to start with. I actually wrote a letter, or I think it was on Sunday or Monday,to Secretary of State Kerry and Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson basically asking for that. Asking that the review be made and please respond to my letter that you're confident that we absorb the appropriate response in residence. So I'm hopefully going to get a response to the letter I sent them.
On some calling for a religious test for refugeesThis shouldn't be approximately politics. We absorb the Bill of Rights — people absorb freedom of religion, and shouldn't we absorb processes. We're here to help people that absorb shattered lives. absorb an immigration system that works, and absorb them advance to our country in a thoughtful way,and not at the expense of national security — strike that right balance.
On what level of concern says approximately GOPI'm not going to speak for the party, but I'm a proud Republican. But as a practical matter, or I think the position I'm taking is a very thoughtful one,and a thoughtful common sense one. And I would hope as this continues to develop, that politics should not be the driving force here — it should be what's in the best interests of our country to stand for the spirit of our country. Copyright 2015 NPR. To see more, or visit http://www.npr.org/.
Source: wnyc.org