Dear Neighbors,
Last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris are a shocking example of the evil and callousness that ISIS represents as well as their growing capability to attack Europe and other Western nations. In the aftermath of these attacks, I have received numerous calls and emails to my office asking about the status of Syrian refugees’ resettlement in Minnesota.
A number of those who contacted me are concerned about the possibility of those who wish to do harm entering the United States via refugee status—as at least one of the Paris attacker was reportedly able to do.
In order to address these concerns, House Speaker Kurt Daudt sent a letter to Governor Dayton urging him to ask President Obama to suspend the refugee relocation program until the Department of Homeland Security is able to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the refugee screening process. As you may have heard, neither governors nor state legislatures have any real influence in determining where refugees are settled once they are accepted by the federal government. That is why the decision has to come from the President and the federal government.
You can read Speaker Daudt's letter
here.
My number one priority is ensuring that Minnesotans are safe. ISIS is a new type of enemy and we need to ensure that both the State and Federal Government are working together to ensure the safety of our citizens.
My heart breaks for those who have been subjected to ISIS’ terror and are attempting to flee violence, but we need to be one-hundred percent sure that terrorists are not slipping in amongst the innocent. Until we are completely sure, beyond doubt that our screening process is effective, we should suspend the relocation of refugees.
Stay tuned for more updates,
Mary