PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Gov. Paul LePage said Monday it is “irresponsible” to let Syrian refugees into America because they could be a threat to the country’s security.
LePage was among a wave of Republican governors to express opposition Monday to accepting Syrian refugees in their states in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks. Another in New England, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, said he also opposes allowing more of the refugees in.
LePage talked about the issue in a radio address in which he also said he is concerned that he doesn’t know whether Maine has any Syrian refugees at this time. Federal figures state that there are none.
Before the attacks, the U.S. government had committed to taking in Syrian refugees displaced by the country’s bloody, ongoing civil war.
LePage said in his address that the Maine Department of Public Safety and Maine Emergency Management Agency are working with the FBI and federal Department of Homeland Security to monitor any possible threats.
He said it is part of his commitment to make sure Maine isn’t a “sanctuary state” for immigrants who lack legal documentation, which has been one of his priorities as governor.
“As a free state and country, we are always vulnerable to attack. The safety of our citizens should come first,” LePage said in the address. “We need responsible immigration policies to protect not only Americans, but all people.”
Maine Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond decried LePage’s position, and added that the federal - not state - government has jurisdiction over immigration policy.
“To say those families are not welcome in Maine is unconscionable,” Alfond said.
LePage followed up his address with a statement that he will “adamantly oppose” any attempts by the federal government to place Syrian refugees in the state.
He also stressed the need for background checks. LePage said allowing the refugees into the country “without knowing who they are” is an invitation to an attack on American soil.
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