Syrian Refugees Need Better Screening, Bucks County Congressman Says

Bucks County’s Congressman is calling on Gov. Tom Wolf reconsider his support of accepting Syrian refugees into the Keystone State.

Republican Mike Fitzpatrick has sent a letter to the governor, asking him to suspend admission of Syrian refugees into Pennsylvania in the wake of the wake of Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris.

Fitzpatrick, the chairman of the bipartisan Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing, said “verifiable and robust mechanisms” must be in place to screen Syrian refugees before they can be admitted into the state.

The Islamic State, which took responsibility for the deadline violence in Paris, has strongholds in war-torn Syria.

In a public statement Fitzpatrick said, “while the human rights of those fleeing terror and destruction must be respected, it is vital that we work to ensure our nation’s safety in this time of turmoil and unrest.”

“The United States cannot indefinitely close itself to the stark realities of the world, nor should we hastily accept tens of thousands of people without proper screening.”

Fitzpatrick said he has introduced legislation that would provide new security assurances before admitting Syrian refugees into the country.

The issue is “a symptom of a larger problem: radical Islam and the efforts of groups like ISIS to destabilize and destroy. We need a long-term solution to this problem, and that includes defeating ISIS,” Fitzpatrick said.

Some governors have aligned with Fitzpatrick’s viewpoint. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Monday his state will not accept any Syrian refugees following a series of attacks in Paris that left more than 125 dead Friday night.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also said his state will not be welcoming the refugees.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said his state will pause already divisive efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Michigan after the terror attacks in Paris.

President Obama said the United States can and should provide a safe haven for some of the millions of refugees seeking asylum from terror, while at the same time taking a hard line against the Islamic State and ensuring the security and safety of the American people.

Not accepting refugees is a “betrayal of U.S. values,” the president said.