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Snyder halts Syrian refugee efforts following Paris attacks

Posted at 2:34 PM, Nov 15, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-15 14:34:57-05

MICHIGAN — Following Friday’s deadly terrorist attacks in Parislinked to ISIS, Gov. Rick Snyder said he’s made the decision to suspend efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Michigan.

While acknowledging the state’s “rich history of immigration” Snyder said the first priority needs to be protecting the safety of the state’s residents.

“Given the terrible situation in Paris, I’ve directed that we put on hold our efforts to accept new refugees until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security completes a full review of security clearances and procedures,” Snyder said in a statement released to media Sunday.

“There will be difficult days ahead for the people of France and they remain in our thoughts and prayers. It’s also important to remember that these attacks are the efforts of extremists and do not reflect the peaceful ways of people of Middle Eastern descent here and around the world.”

A spokesperson for the Governor said the decision had been made on Saturday after speaking with administrative and legislative leaders.

Snyder has a well documented history of supporting immigration having established the Michigan Office for New Americans in 2014. This year he declared a week in September to be recognized annually as ‘Welcoming Week’ in Michigan for immigrants.

As recently as this past September, Snyder expressed support and interest in working with the federal government to accept refugees fleeing a war-torn Syria in the Middle East, the Detroit News reported.

The discussions were prompted following an earlier announcement in September from the Obama administration saying the U.S. would take in 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 2016.

On Sunday it was revealed that at least one of the Paris terrorists who killed more than 120 people on Friday entered Europe as just another face in the crowd — embedded in the current wave of Syrian war refugees, CNN reports.

European officials now believe a new professional squad of terrorists is inserting itself into some of the migrant voyages fleeing Syria to Europe.