News from the Week of October 3rd

On Monday a federal court dealt a major blow to Indiana’s anti-Syrian refugee policy. The state, which receives federal dollars to resettle some 1500 refugees annually, was directed by governor Mike Pence to halt all Syrian refugee resettlement in 2015. Pence, and many other state leaders, perceive Syrians as a security threat.

A 7th Circuit Court panel led by famed legal scholar Judge Richard Posner called Pence’s anti-Syrian stance pure “nightmare speculation,” citing the complete lack of evidence that terrorists are using the refugee resettlement program to infiltrate the United States.

Such discriminatory policies ignore the rigorous screening process that all refugees must complete before stepping foot in the United States. U.S. military leadership and national security experts like former Department of Homeland Security heads Janet Napolitano and Michael Chertoff call this system "thorough and robust," allowing us to "safely admit the most vulnerable refugees while protecting the American people.”

Judge Posner and the court declared that the Indiana plan clearly violates the Constitution. The stringent vetting process plus the fact that no Syrian has ever been arrested for terrorism in the United States further expose Pence’s policy as wholly unnecessary.

Pence’s concerns about the security implications of refugee resettlement echo many other state leaders. Just last week Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced that he was removing the state from the federal program for the same reason. In January, Texas will hand over its role of distributing federal refugee money to a private organization, leaving aid workers scrambling to ensure they are prepared.

Though refugee resettlement will continue in Texas, many Texans are disappointed that the state now signals unwillingness to help the country be a leader in solving the global refugee crisis. In this vein, former ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan Ryan Crocker writes in the Houston Chronicle that welcoming refugees is what a proud and confident nation does.

Finally, our allies at the Shoulder-2-Shoulder Campaign give us this uplifting look at the family of Dr. Jawash, who fled Syria in 2015. Despite surviving one of the worst conflicts in recent memory, Jawash and his family remain determined and hopeful.

"Everything is green here. You can even hear the birds… We are the lucky ones to come here, to be accepted by the United States government,” Says Jawash, a former medical doctor in his home country now studying to practice medicine in America. His wife is making great progress studying English, and his son attends public school in their new hometown of Chicago.

“This is the rebuilding. We are rebuilding our future in America.”

Have reactions to share, or want to learn how you can be involved in our efforts to raise veteran voices in support of refugees? Find us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us at vfai@humanrightsfirst.