Christie Has Taken A Position On Syrian Refugees: Has It Changed?

READ UPDATE: Christie: I Wouldn’t Even Take in Orphaned Children From Syria

Gov. Chris Christie has taken two positions on accepting Syrian refugees into New Jersey.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, will he have a new position?

Christie did not immediately address the issue Monday after a growing number of Republican governors voiced opposition to the acceptance of Syrian refugees into their states.

Two months ago, however, nj.com quoted Christie as saying “the United States should play their role” in taking in Syrian refugees.

Christie also said he would sit down with U.S. allies and “figure out how we can help, because America is a compassionate country,” according to the report.

His support was backed up by the numbers: Approximately 75 Syrian refugees have settled in New Jersey since the start of the year, the ninth most of any state in the U.S., according to the U.S. State Department.

Then, in October, Christie changed his position during an appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity, saying it would be a “danger” to accept even a single Syrian refugee into the United States.

“That’s why I’ve been advocating for the idea that what we need to do is incentivize our allies around the world, especially in the Middle East, for them to take these folks in,” he said on the broadcast.

Christie then suggested that the U.S. should pay other countries to accept the refugees.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, decried what it considered the “un-American” statements by a growing number of Republican governors in opposition to the acceptance of Syrian refugees into their states.

“Defeating ISIS involves projecting American ideals to the world. This un-American rejection of refugees, who will face significant security checks prior to entry, sends entirely the wrong message. Governors who reject those fleeing war and persecution abandon our ideals and instead project our fears to the world.”

Christie has blamed President Obama for the bloodshed in Syria, but nj.com reported that he hasn’t always argued against allowing Syrian refugees enter the Untied States because they pose a danger to the country. He said:

“I’d sit down with our allies and figure out how we can help, because America is a compassionate country. We saw the image of that 4-year-old little boy drowned in Syria, and we can’t have those kinds of things ... I can’t come up with an exact number. You’d have to sit with our allies and work together.”