BISMARCK – North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple plans to urge President Barack Obama to halt resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States until security and screening measures can be reviewed.
The governor’s office issued a news release Tuesday saying Dalrymple would send Obama a letter outlining his position as governors in several states have issued calls for a ban on Syrian refugees in the wake of terror attacks in France.
Dalrymple’s letter cites testimony by the FBI Director James Comey who told Congress of inadequacies in the system that would prevent the thorough vetting of the 10,000 refugees the administration has pledged to admit into the U.S.
Dalrymple will join other governors Tuesday on a call with senior administration officials from the White House, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the U.S. Department of State and the National Counterterrorism Center to express his concerns with the administration’s plan to resettle Syrian refugees.
“For generations, our country has welcomed individuals and families seeking safety and asylum within the borders of the United States,” Dalrymple said in the release. “However, I am deeply concerned about the recent terrorist attacks carried out in France and the potential for this situation to arise in the U.S., especially given the testimony by FBI Director James Comey revealing gaps in the refugee screening system.”
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Syrians have not been a part of North Dakota’s refugee resettlement program in the past.
