Indianapolis – Following reports that a Syrian refugee was among the perpetrators of the terrorists attacks that took place in Paris on Friday, Governor Mike Pence issued the following statement:
“In the wake of the horrific attacks in Paris, effective immediately, I am directing all state agencies to suspend the resettlement of additional Syrian refugees in the state of Indiana pending assurances from the federal government that proper security measures have been achieved. Indiana has a long tradition of opening our arms and homes to refugees from around the world but, as governor, my first responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of all Hoosiers. Unless and until the state of Indiana receives assurances that proper security measures are in place, this policy will remain in full force and effect.”
The Refugee Resettlement Office in the Division of Family Resources in the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) administers the Syrian resettlement program.
Representative Jackie Walorski (IN-02) issued the following statement after Governor Pence announced his plan to suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program “pending assurances from the federal government that proper security measures have been achieved”:
“I applaud Governor Pence for his leadership on prioritizing the safety and security of Hoosiers. As the world continues to come to terms with the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday, the threat of extremist attacks looms over the United States. While millions of Syrians, including women, children, and orphans have endured immense hardships, current State Department mechanisms are inadequate because often no paperwork exists, and since they are arriving from a failed state in Syria, it is nearly impossible to determine who is a threat and who is safe. My responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people of the Second District and it’s in our best interests to halt the program until we have more information on who these refugees are and how the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI plans to track these individuals.”
