Obama: Admit Syrian Refugees or Face ‘Enforcement Action’

President Barack Obama used his weekly address to advance his plan to bring an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees to America this year, delivering a brief historical lesson about the Pilgrims and tying it the plight of those now fleeing the brutality of the Islamic State.

The letter read, in part: “States may not deny funded benefits and services to refugees based on a refugee’s country of origin or religious affiliation”.

The letter says states that do not comply with the requirement would be breaking the law and could be subject to enforcement action, including suspension or termination of the federally funded program. Through simple, yet powerful, illustrations, the video debunks the myths of refugee resettlement in the United States, with specific attention to the Syrian refugee crisis.

The American Civil Liberties Union on Monday sued Indiana Governor Mike Pence over his refusal to allow refugees fleeing the almost 5-year-old civil war to resettle in his state.

“Terrorists have made it clear that they intend to infiltrate this refugee population to reach the West and carry out other attacks”, Ryan wrote this week in an op-ed for CNN. “ORR is committed to ensuring that all refugees receive assistance and services vital to achieving their potential in the United States and becoming self-sufficient, integrated members of our communities”.

Meantime, Rep. Scott Tipton joined other Colorado House Republicans demanding an immediate stop to admitting Syrian refugees into the US.

Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is not seeking re-election next year, has said the vetting process of Syrian refugees is thorough and Vermont would welcome Syrian refugees. We must not “close our hearts to the victims of such violence”, the president said.

Obama said all the refugees will undergo the highest security checks.

In a Fox News interview last week after the White House call, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot said “What the national intelligence leaders are telling us is that Syrian refugees could be embedded with those who are ISIS terrorists”. As Republican leaders in Congress prepare to block Syrian refugees from the United States, one legislator proposed requiring three national security chiefs to certify personally that each refugee admitted from Iraq or Syria is not a threat. Every time we get a new population of refugees coming into the United States, we change it a little so that it’s better for that population.

The Hill reports that the warning letter drew the ire of Virginia congressman Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who released a statement accusing the Obama administration of being “hypocritical”.