Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Monday said the U.S. will still allow Syrian refugees to resettle in the U.S. This after authorities in France revealed Sunday that at least one terrorist entered Paris among Syrian refugees.
Not everyone agrees with the President’s decision. Debate has already started in Western New York on whether local governments should accept refugees, especially since Erie County has already been designated to accept about 300 refugees during the next few months.
An Erie County legislator is calling on his county executive to refuse to allow Syrian refugees into the county. That’s easier said than done, since the county government has little say in the matter with the decision instead up to the federal government.
Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress, Tom Reed (R-Corning), also thinks the refugee policy should be at least temporarily put on hold. Reed wants the U.S. to first fully assess its screening process before letting any refugees into the country.
“I do believe it’s appropriate, given the recent attacks in Paris and elsewhere, that we have a timeout when it comes to the Syrian Refugee situation,” Reed told reporters on Monday during his weekly media conference call. “We need to make sure that if Syrian refugees are coming into America, that there is a system in place to make sure our national security is protected at all means. Until that is guaranteed and until the level of commitment is demonstrated to me, I’m very hesitant to support the further expansion or the continuation of bringing the Syrian refugees here to the American homeland.”
On Monday, Democrat U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) both came out in support of still allowing Syrian refugees to come into the country, saying they have faith in the current screening process that is used to vet refugees and determine whether they are a terrorist threat.
The U.S. says it plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees next year.
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