ACLU Says Christie Is 'Fear-Mongering' With Syrian Refugee Stance

When Governor Chris Christie declared that he wouldn’t even take Syrian refugees if they were “orphans under five,” there is a term for what he was trying to accomplish, the ACLU of New Jersey asserts.

“Fear-mongering.”

• See related article: Christie Issues New N.J. Position On Syrian Refugees

As public opinion continues to polarize in the wake of the recent Paris terrorist attacks, the Newark-based ACLU-NJ issued a statement condemning Christie’s recent stance against Syrian immigration to the Garden State.

According to Executive Director Udi Ofer:

“As New Jerseyans, we’re deeply disappointed that Governor Christie would turn his back on refugees who are trying to escape exactly what he fears: terrorism. This kind of fear-mongering blames refugees for the very terror they are fleeing, and it erodes our civil rights and civil liberties… New Jersey in particular has been a haven for those who need refuge the most, and Christie’s sentiments go against American principles and the principles of the people of our state. We stand in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France commemorating our revolutionary devotion to freedom and a symbol of welcome to immigrants the world over.”

According to Ofer, Christie may not even have the legal clout to follow through on his statements.

“Resettlement of refugees is a matter handled by the U.S. State Department, not individual governors. States don’t have veto power in this area, and it would violate the Constitution for a governor to bar an entire group of refugees based on nationality, religion, race, or ethnicity.”

The International Rescue Committee, a national nonprofit that helps to relocate international refugees and which has an office in Elizabeth, issued a similar statement in support of the state’s refugee population.

“Refugee resettlement from around the world, for people of all religions and none, has been one of the success stories of the United States. Now is no time to abandon this successful model. Refugees are the most security vetted population who come to the United States. Security screenings are rigorous and involve the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the Department of Defense.”

The IRC continues:

“Across the U.S., successful Syrian-American communities are testimony to the potential contribution of refugees to this country… Banning Syrian refugees will not make America safer; it will make refugees more desperate. Syrian refugees are fleeing violence — including by ISIS — and are seeking safety for themselves and for their families. We deplore the insinuation in the recent banning orders against Syrian refugees that either they are terrorists, or that it is impossible to separate them from those seeking to come here to commit terrorism.”

The IRC concludes:

“At a time when so many Syrian families are dependent on outside help for their survival, we call on all those in and aspiring to elected office to live up to the highest ideals that have made this country great. The United States cannot provide a home for everyone. But it can show, and has throughout its history, people from across the world how to live together.”

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.”

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez stated that Syrian refugees are among the most highly scrutinized of any group trying to enter the U.S., and rigorous and expansive screening procedures must continue, the Associated Press reported.

However, security can’t take a backseat to humanitarianism, Menendez added.

“While security is paramount, we have a responsibility to fulfill our commitment to this international crisis and simply closing the door to America and turning our backs on the children, women and families fleeing the atrocities in their homeland is not the answer to defeating terrorism,” Menendez stated.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker echoed his counterpart’s warning, the Associated Press reported.

“We need to approach this humanitarian disaster with both practicality and compassion,” Booker stated. “These refugees are fleeing evil — they are victims, not villains. America is a beacon of freedom and hope, and we have a responsibility to show empathy and kindness to these families.”

Photo via Wikimedia

Photo caption: Refugee children from Syria at a clinic in Ramtha, northern Jordan.