Jeb Bush splits with Republicans over Syrian refugees

President Barack Obama lashed out Wednesday at Republicans who insist on barring Syrian refugees from entering the US, deeming their words offensive and insisting “it needs to stop”.

“Apparently they are scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America”, he said later. We don’t have a religious test for our compassion.

While Obama didn’t name names, it was clear who he was referring to.

GOP candidate Jeb Bush said Wednesday he’s been consistent when it comes to his opinion on allowing refugees into the United States, and denied that he’s changed his opinion on the matter.

“When I hear folks say well maybe we should just admit Christians but not Muslims, when I hear political leaders suggesting religious test for which person who’s fleeing from a war-torn country is admitted … that’s not who we are”. As The Washington Post’s Abby Phillip documented, more than a dozen governors joined Jindal on Monday in trying to keep Syrian refugees from their states.

A spokeswoman for the worldwide Rescue Committee said. Administration officials have confirmed that the Syrian refugees undergo intense background checks, interviews and interrogation before being allowed into the United States. He added. “That’s not American, it’s not who we are”.

“It is utterly unbefitting of the President to be engaging in those kinds of personal insults and attacks”, Cruz said.

“Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values”, Obama said. “While I disagree that accepting Christian refugees is in the long-term security interest of the United States and long-term stability interest of the Middle East, the intent of those who do should never be vilified”. They’ll be either executed or imprisoned, either by (President Bashar) Assad or by ISIS.

Between October 1, 2011, and November 10, the US has taken in 2,131 Syrian refugees, with just over 1,800 of them arriving since the beginning of this January, according to the State Department. They have settled in Arizona, Arkansas and California.

Almost two dozen state governors, almost all Republicans, have opposed Obama’s refugee plan out of concern that a few of the Syrians might be radicalized and enter the country to launch attacks against Americans. He praised bordering countries Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees; Obama said that showed their “belief in a common humanity”. And the Refugee Act of 1980 gives the president authority to guide the federal process determining refugee resettlement.

Abbott and Jindal joined the governors of MI, Alabama, Arkansas and IN in opposition to relocating any Syrian refugees to their states.

Instead of closing the borders entirely, Cruz said “We need to be working to provide a safe haven for those Christians who are being persecuted and facing genocide, and at the same time we shouldn’t be letting terrorists into America”. These refugees are fleeing executions, suicide bombings and horrors we can not imagine. How many support Obama’s determination to admit 100,000 Syrian refugees?