In response to the atrocious terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence announced Monday that Syrian refugees who want to relocate to the United States are not welcome in the state of Indiana.
Shame on you, Gov. Pence, for using an act of terrorism to justify xenophobia and bigotry.
Pence joined a chorus of mostly Republican governors in opposing the presence of refugees from Syria in their states. According to politico.com, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio and 23 other states, including Indiana, all issued loud statements to the press, in which they emphasized the security of their residents as the primary reason for trying to block the immigration of people affected by the crisis.
Fear begets fear. Completely and unilaterally stopping these people, many of whom are fleeing Syria to escape terrorism to begin with, not only increases fear but does nothing to change existing systems and policies for refugees.
After all, it’s unclear what role the states have to play, if any, in the concerns about allowing Syrian refugees to enter the country.
According to the Washington Post, the federal government is the entity responsible for granting approved refugee status.
The United States State Department processes applications, and all applicants are screened and interviewed by the Department of Homeland Security before they’re allowed entry.
That means states have nothing to do with this vetting process.
Director of Advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association Greg Chen told politico.com once refugees legally enter the U.S., they’re permitted to move about the country without restriction.
What is the governor’s point, then, in symbolically shunning refugees fleeing from ISIS? Why bother to make a statement if there’s not much Indiana can actually do about it policy wise?
There is none.
The statement, combined with his approval of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act that unfairly discriminated against LGBT citizens earlier this year, show the only Hoosier hospitality Gov. Pence has to offer is for statehouse colleagues that are no different than him.
The issue should not be about whether Syrian refugees are or are not allowed to be in Indiana.
The issue should be about whether Indiana is committed or not to being a force for good against evil.
Instead of condemning, shaming and unfairly making claims about Syrian refugees, the governor could work with the federal government to ensure all refugees coming to the United States have no ties to ISIS or other radical terrorist groups.
Our state’s legislature could pass a bill providing financial, legal and other support to Syrian refugees who are just trying to find a safe place to raise their kids, go to work and live their lives away from the threats and actions of terrorists.
All of us and the governor, as Americans, can stand up against the culture of fear, hate and violence that organizations like the Islamic State want to bring into each of our lives.
We can accomplish this by working together to ensure that the Syrian refugees who come to America are peaceful and desire the freedoms we all enjoy in this great nation.
Gov. Pence, in the face of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, are you going to be remembered as someone who was sympathetic to the concerns of your fellow man, or are you going to be remembered as someone who refused to pitch in and help him?
ttfitzpa@indiana.edu
@tfitzwrites
