Jonathan Bachman/Reuters
More than 20 U.S. states’ governors have announced they will refuse to take in Syrian refugees following Friday evening’s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said Sunday he planned to refuse the relocation. “I will not place Alabamians at even the slightest possible risk of an attack on our people,” the governor said in a statement.
Earlier Sunday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said he would suspend the acceptance of new refugees until the Department of Homeland Security “completes a full review of security clearances and procedures.”
On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote that his state will not participate in refugee relocation and urged that the president halt the U.S. program of accepting Syrian refugees. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted that he will also refuse to take refugees into his state. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, Kentucky Gov.-elect Matt Bevin, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley also joined the chorus.
And as The Daily Beast's Betsy Woodruff reported, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan became the first Democratic governor to say no to refugees.