Seven U.S. states shut doors to Syrian refugees after Paris attack

Five U.S. governors on Monday said they would not allow Syrian refugees to be settled in their states, joining Alabama and Michigan and contending it is too dangerous to let in people from that war-torn country following Friday's deadly Paris attacks.

Republican Governors Greg Abbott of Texas, Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Mike Pence of Indiana, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Phil Bryant of Mississippi said their states would no longer help support the Obama administration's goal of accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees in the coming years.

"Texas cannot participate in any program that will result in Syrian refugees - any one of whom could be connected to terrorism - being resettled in Texas," Abbott said in an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday. "Neither you nor any federal official can guarantee that Syrian refugees will not be part of any terroristic activity."

However, it was unclear what authority governors had to stop admitting refugees into their states, legal experts said.

"The federal government has the power over immigration. If they admit Syrian refugees, they're here," said Deborah Anker, a professor of law at Harvard Law School who specializes in immigration issues. "People aren't going to the (state) border. The federal government is going to bring them in."

The decisions to stop accepting refugees from Syria came three days after gunmen and suicide bombers believed to be part of the Islamic State militant group killed 129 people in a series of coordinated attacks in Paris, the worst such event in France since World War Two.

A Syrian passport found near the body of one of the attackers showed that its holder passed through Greece in October, raising concern that the attackers had entered Europe amid the wave of refugees fleeing that country's four-year civil war.

The United States admitted 1,682 Syrian refugees in the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, a sharp jump from the 105 admitted a year earlier. Texas, California and Michigan accepted the largest number of people fleeing the war.

Secretary of State John Kerry in September said the United States would increase the number of refugees it takes in from all nations by 15,000 per year over the next two years, bringing the total to 100,000 a year by 2017.

i don't know how they think they can stop it, but whatever... sounds good for voting purposes, i guess...

Oddly, if Obama isn't following Federal Law on immigration, does that give the States leeway?

one thing i don't get... if the muslims are doing this to die and take as many people with them as possible, why do they bring their passports with them? seems they always find a few passports whenever these things happen...

I would think so. Why hasn't this jerk been impeached and neutralized?

That is what I thought all along.
Each state is independent to a degree.
In doing this they are also turning down funding. But of course the reality is, taking refugees, each state will be paying in many many ways. So it is not as if the states will profit.
And of course, the residents never wanted this anyway.
Hell..the American people never wanted this or to pay for it, or change laws or culture to accommodate.. Etc.
I think more & more are finally paying attention.

Ability to prove identity

For the purpose of proving identity in the territory of another Schengen Member State, the obligation to carry a valid identity document (a passport in the case of third-country nationals) remains in place.

The obligation to hold or carry IDs and other documents may be further set out by the Member States' national legislation.

You know, here we have our own Texas Air National Guard.

Might divert a few flights coming in.

Maybe they think they need one to get into their promised land

Here, we have The Republic of Texas.
A nation/state, which may legally and constitutionally, exit the union of the United States of America.

Because the Democrats vote as a block.

Why is ANY country taking any of these refugees? Shouldnt they be defending their own homeland?

once they are in.. there in. No state can stop them from just driving over the state line and setting up shop wherever they want.

Just ask the Mexicans how its done.

Give em a gun and put them on a boat back. Let them kill each other.

so they wanna kill people by not breaking the law?

Just a guess but was does the dead muzzy care....he thinks he'll be banging 72 virgin goats by that time or sm $hit.
And hell, they WANT that great battle....where they believe they will slaughter the infidels. Why not leave a calling card?

I read the copy of the letter, Monday morning that the Governor of Texas, sent to Obama, asking who & how the future refugees are approved?
Obama's response, " The UN approved them"
And the governor replied " I am sorry we will not be participating in your program "

Why aren't people taking the head count seriously? Even in this pic.
The count is 74%-76% MEN.
ONLY 12%-16% CHILDREN

Because they have been empathize, & decieved by CNN & the BBC..

Trouble, trouble.. Just like Europe :

i believe they all should be converted to christians , because syria can decide to build 1000 mosques in the states... personally syria should not exist, please north korea go test nucs over there lol

I wonder if they can say they took in too many South and Central American refugees and refuse Syrians.

Or maybe start sending the men, women, and children that migrated north from SA, using "asylum" or "refugee" status to get in, to other countries.

It seems only "fair" that other countries take some of our South and Central American "refugee's."

Syria! Please help the U.S. and take some of the South and Central Americans.

Mexico and countries in South America are accepting Syrian refugees, so maybe just reload the planes for the flight back with those that would otherwise have just gone up to the U.S.

Win win win.