Gov. Mike Pence on Monday suspended efforts to resettle Syrian refugees in Indiana, joining other lawmakers in expressing concern for the safety of U.S. residents in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris.
In a statement, Pence said the state would not accept any Syrian refugees without further “assurances from the federal government that proper security measures have been achieved.”
“Indiana has a long tradition of opening our arms and homes to refugees from around the world but, as governor, my first responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of all Hoosiers,” Pence said.
The decision drew support from U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Jimtown, U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., and Raghid Kadi, a local Syrian activist.
“While millions of Syrians, including women, children, and orphans have endured immense hardships, current State Department mechanisms are inadequate because often no paperwork exists, and since they are arriving from a failed state in Syria, it is nearly impossible to determine who is a threat and who is safe,” Walorski said in a statement.
Said Coats, “We should not accept any Syrian refugees in Indiana or across the country unless the U.S. government can guarantee, with 100 percent assurance, that they are not members, supporters or sympathizers of ISIS.”
Kadi, a local pharmacist who was born in Damscus, Syria, but moved to the United States in 1987, agreed.