Syrian refugees cannot settle in Alabama, governor says

In a statement released Sunday night, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) said he will "oppose any attempt to relocate Syrian refugees to Alabama," following the deadly attacks in Paris on Friday.

"As your governor, I will not stand complicit to a policy that places the citizens of Alabama in harm's way," he said. "I will not place Alabamians at even the slightest, possible risk of an attack on our people." About 2,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the United States since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, none in Alabama. It takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months on average for refugees to be vetted, BuzzFeed reports, and the Obama administration announced in September that 10,000 Syrian refugees would be accepted in the U.S. next year.

Earlier Sunday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) said that until "the U.S. Department of Homeland Security completes a full review of security clearances and procedures," the state will not accept any refugees from Syria. "There will be difficult days ahead for the people of France and they remain in our thoughts and prayers," he said. "It's also important to remember that these attacks are the efforts of extremists and do not reflect the peaceful ways of people of Middle Eastern descent here and around the world."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up