The Syrian crisis and the president’s unvetted plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States threatens to confuse, frustrate and divide the American people yet again under the current administration in Washington.
The Syrian crisis and the president’s unvetted plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States threatens to confuse, frustrate and divide the American people yet again under the current administration in Washington.
It also has engulfed Hawaii in the political fray, thanks to Gov. David Ige’s recent awkward remarks regarding the possible settlement of these refugees here. First, here is exactly what the governor said Monday:
“Our first priority is the safety of the American people, including the people of the state of Hawaii. The U.S. accepts refugees, including Syrians, only after they are subjected to the most vigorous and highest level of screening and security vetting. As President (Barack) Obama has said — slamming the door in their face would be a betrayal of our values. Hawaii and our nation have a long history of welcoming refugees impacted by war and oppression. Hawaii is the Aloha State, known for its tradition of welcoming all people with tolerance and mutual respect. I am confident that our state will work closely with the federal government to ensure that appropriate resources and support are available before any refugees arrive in Hawaii.”
In contrast, the governors of about 33 states have cast doubt on the administration’s assurances that the refugees can be safely screened. Although unfairly characterized as “refusals” in the media, typical of statements made by governors was that of Rick Snyder of Michigan, which already has a large population of Arab-American immigrants and refugees: “Michigan is a welcoming state and we are proud of our rich history of immigration. But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents.”
Governor Ige said essentially the same thing, except he fell prematurely in line with the president’s plan, while ignoring the legitimate concerns of Hawaii’s residents.
The governor said all of the “politically correct” things about admitting Syrian refugees into the state. But the “politically truthful” thing to say would have gone something like this: “Mr. President, Hawaii joins all of America in its concern for the Syrian refugees. But, quite frankly, the current situation is more dangerous in many respects from refugee crises of the past. As a result, I and many in our communities are understandably concerned about our security and safety, should the refugee vetting process fail to prevent a few people with vicious intentions from infiltrating into the state via the refugee acceptance process. We therefore ask you to work with Congress, honestly and openly, with the intent to reassure the American people, and the residents of Hawaii, that their communities will face no danger as your proposal goes forward.”
People who are rightfully concerned about terrorists sneaking into our midst are NOT talking of “slamming the door” in the faces of desperate Syrian refugees. Legally, that could not be done anyway.
According to the Refugee Act of 1980, under which Congress unwisely gave the president broad authority to regulate the flow of refugees into the states, the president each year consults with Congress to set a “ceiling” on the number of refugees, as well as an allocation by country or region. However, there also is an “unallocated reserve” which the president can use in a situation such as the current one to designate a number of Syrian refugees.
Indeed, there is a formal process by which eligible refugees are screened for security threats. However, without formal or diplomatic cooperation with the Syrian government because of the ongoing chaos there, the “vetting” of Syrian refugees through background checks and other means is very slow and difficult, if not impossible. Thus, the governor’s hasty statement of confidence in the “highest level of screening and security vetting” by the federal government seemed extraordinarily naive.
The governor’s critics therefore were justified in calling him out for his remarks. To his credit, in the face of the strident criticism, the governor walked his rhetoric back a bit saying, “I suppose in hindsight I should probably be more thoughtful about my statements. I understand that there are concerns about the safety of our communities.”
In addition, the governor also admitted he was worried about the prospect for terrorist incidents such as those in Paris to occur in Hawaii. These are the proper concerns of a governor of any state, and I am hopeful our governor will take this lesson to heart in future crises.
In any case, I concede he is correct on one thing: Hawaii is not likely to see very many Syrian refugees settled here at any time in the foreseeable future.
Curtis Beck is a professional engineer licensed to practice in Hawaii since 1984, though now semiretired. He lives in Hilo and remains active in civic and professional affairs. He writes an occasional column for the Tribune-Herald.