In typical fashion, President Barack Obama’s federal government has threatened to penalize state and local governments refusing to accept Syrian refugees on the basis that terrorists may cross borders posing as emigrants.
In a letter from the Office of Refugee Resettlement sent Wednesday, Director Robert Carey acknowledged these concerns but offered reassurance stating that all refugees are “subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States,” through a “multi-layered and intensive screening and vetting process,” according to the Washington Examiner.
Carey went on to say that Syrian refugees are subjected to even tighter provisions than most other refugees, but many have disagreed with this statement, saying it’s impossible to vet refugees from countries that do not keep accurate data on their citizens.
“States may not deny ORR-funded benefits and services to refugees based on a refugee’s country of origin or religious affiliation,” said the letter. “States may not deny ORR-funded benefits and services to Syrian refugees” and those that do not comply are subject to “enforcement action, including suspension or termination.”
The letter cites the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids federally funded programs from discriminating based on race or origin. Obama has already been looking to amend this legislation by including a ban on sexual orientation or gender identity, and it is no surprise that he’s looking to make states that oppose him pay in one way or another.
We’ve seen this before — we have to look no further than Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which penalizes those who choose not to carry health insurance with a tax.
Obama has refused to listen to the concerns of these state and local officials about the refugee crisis since day one and, since he can’t convince them to change their minds, he’ll just penalize them for non-compliance.
Source: Conservative Tribune
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