Virginia will not turn away Syrian refugees after Paris terror attacks
Why we need more than just a theoretical promise
Syrian refugees are facing a backlash after the horrific terror attacks in Paris last Friday.
Currently, 24 states have announced they will no longer take Syrian refugees in response to these attacks.
But Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia has made it clear Virginia will remain open to Syrian refugees.
We must take this statement with a grain of salt. The United States has only accepted 1,500 Syrian refugees since 2011, so each state’s stance of refusal or acceptance of refugees right now exist more in theory than in practice.
McAuliffe’s office has made it clear that “nothing is more important to the Governor and his team than keeping Virginians safe.”
Virginia delegates are not on the same page. Four have called on McAuliffe to refuse entry to Syrian refugees, and they will be introducing legislation in the 2016 assembly “aimed at prohibiting state agencies from assisting on the resettlement of Syrian refuge in Virginia for the next two years.”
Republican delegate Greg Habeeb demanded: “It is imperative that Governor McAuliffe stand up for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia and call on President Obama to cease the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States unless and until we can be assured that they pose no security risk.
“Second, the Governor should immediately cut off all funding currently being used to resettle Syrian refugees in Virginia.”
The Syrian refugee crisis is in need of immediate attention. Even if only in theory, we should be proud Virginia has not withdrawn its support to taking in refugees.
In the time that we grieve with Paris, we should not fault an entire population for a singular incident.