The White House Urges Governors Not to Disrupt Acceptance of Syrian Refugees

Following the announcement by predominantly Republican governors of several U.S. states that they would not accept Syrian refugees, the U.S. government emphasized extensive security measures and oversight for the acceptance of refugees and urged state officials not to disrupt the process. This response from the U.S. government coincides with increased Republican efforts to block the Syrian refugee acceptance program. Recently, the U.S. government announced that, in light of the crisis stemming from the Syrian civil war and the millions of refugees from that country, it would accept 10,000 of them on its soil. However, the deadly attacks on November 13 in Paris, which left at least 129 dead, have also impacted the status of refugees. The Republican Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, told reporters, "Our nation has always been welcoming, but we cannot allow terrorists to exploit our kindness." He added, "It is better to be safe than sorry now." In response, the White House stated that it had informed governors about the oversight and security process for accepting refugees for an hour and a half. The U.S. government claims that even if it accepts more refugees, including from Syria, these individuals will be subject to stricter and more extensive scrutiny compared to any other group of travelers. President Barack Obama has also reacted to recent events. The White House stated that the President personally discussed the refugee issue with 34 state governors. The Syrian civil war, crises, and tensions in the Middle East and North Africa have significantly increased the number of refugees and displaced persons this year. Millions of Syrian citizens are currently residing in camps in countries like Turkey or Lebanon, with a large group having also entered European territory.