State reps weigh in on concerns

As Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (D) said he will continue to allow Syrian refugees into Connecticut, Congressman John Larson (D-1) issued his support for Malloy, while State Rep. Jay Case (R-63) said he disagrees with Malloy’s policy.

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, as governors from other states said that they would no longer accept refugees from Syria, in an interview with NBC Channel 30 Malloy said that he would continue to allow refugees who are seeking asylum into the state.

Malloy’s office did not respond to calls for comments for this article.

The comments were made a few days after a series of terrorist attacks on Nov. 13 in Paris, France, left 130 people dead and 368 people injured.

After the attacks, French President François Hollande said that the attacks were planned in Syria by terrorist organization ISIS, also known as ISIL.

On Nov. 17, on his official Facebook page, Case wrote that he is against Malloy allowing Syrian refugees in Connecticut.

“I appreciate the plight of those displaced by the continuing violence in Syria,” Case wrote. “However, it is concerning that our governor has reaffirmed his commitment to see Connecticut accept a large group of refugees just days after a spate of barbaric, unjustified violence that’s spotlighted the uncertainty over the intake process. At the present moment there are simply too many questions, and the governor’s vague assurance that it’s a small enough ‘number over which you could do a lot of security background checks and that sort of thing’ does not provide a sense of confidence. Connecticut residents do have big hearts. But, we also appreciate well-informed decisions.”

Case went on to write that he stands by a letter sent to Malloy co-authored by House Republican Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby) and Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-34).

“We believe in and fully support our nation’s long tradition of humanitarian aid and welcoming refugees from around the world in search of a better life in the United States,” Klarides and Fasano wrote in the letter. “The recent decision to allow refugees from Syria into Connecticut, while well intentioned, could potentially threaten the security of our residents. Ensuring the safety of our citizens is a fundamental responsibility of our state and federal government. Given the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, we must be on heightened alert and give extra scrutiny to refugees coming into the United States.”

Klarides and Fasano wrote that the state should proceed with “extreme caution” when it came to accepting refugees.

“We have already received countless phone calls and emails from residents asking us to investigate further before hasty decisions are made,” Klarides and Fasano wrote. “Do we have assurances that extensive background checks will be conducted? Who will be responsible for paying for the related costs? If the state is responsible, how will the state pay for the refugees to live here given our budget deficits? Will this be a permanent cost to the state? Where will they live? Until we can confirm the security and vetting process for refugees and guarantee that the people coming to Connecticut do not wish to cause harm to our residents, we should not grant entry.”

On Thursday, Nov. 19, the United States House of Representatives passed the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 (H.R. 4038).

The bill, which was passed by a vote of 289-137, would require federal security offices to certify that refugees coming into the United States are not terrorist threats.

In a press release from his office, Larson wrote that he voted against the bill.

“It is my hope that in the coming weeks we can pull together and develop an approach that strengthens our common position against ISIL and addresses any security gaps, without further punishing the victims of violence and persecution,” Larson wrote. “I commend Governor Malloy for his courageous stance in welcoming the family of three [Syrian immigrants], including their 5-year-old child, in Connecticut when Indiana turned them away. That is the real American spirit. Barring innocent people, many of whom are women and children, from entering the country does not help us defeat ISIL. In fact, it could help with their recruitment. Our primary objective right now needs to be building a coalition with our allies, including countries in the Middle East, many of whom have felt the horror of ISIL’s attacks firsthand. We cannot defeat ISIL alone, nor should we try. We cannot allow fear to eclipse our longstanding tradition of sheltering those in need. When we overreact, we play into the hands of cowards whose only aim is to terrorize and slay innocent people.”