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Wary US states shun Syria refugees after Paris attacks

– ‘Un-American’ –

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who is running for president, signed an executive order Monday instructing state agencies to “take all available steps to stop the relocation of Syrian refugees to Louisiana.”

He also wrote to Obama Saturday urging him to “pause the process,” and complained that he was kept in the dark about Syrian refugees as they began arriving in New Orleans earlier this month.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations decried the governors’ “un-American” reactions.

“Governors who reject those fleeing war and persecution abandon our ideals and instead project our fears to the world,” CAIR said.

Suzanne Akhras Sahloul, director of the Syrian Community Network which helps refugees adjust to American life, warned of growing “Islamophobia” in the country.

“What happened to us that we are now closing our doors to people who are escaping terrorism, trauma and death?” she told AFP.

At least six states have stated they remain open to Syrian refugees.

One is Washington, whose governor, Jay Inslee, issued a statement saying: “We have been and will continue to be a state that embraces compassion and eschews fear mongering.”

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Claimed by the Islamic State group, Friday’s coordinated attacks targeting revellers at a Paris concert, restaurants and the national stadium left at least 129 dead and raised fears of a similar assault by jihadists on US soil.

Obama, speaking Monday at a Turkey summit of the world’s top economies, said it is “very important… that we do not close our hearts to these victims” of violence in the Middle East.

In September, the US leader announced plans to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 2016. The White House stressed the plan carries little risk because there is a “robust” vetting process in place.

The State Department said it was taking the governors’ concerns seriously, and that it was looking into “whether they can legally” block federal resettlement efforts in their states.

Congress faces a December 11 deadline for finalizing 2016 spending, and some Republicans want to insert language that blocks federal funding for refugee plans.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose chamber observed a moment of silence Monday evening for the victims of the Paris attacks, said he was looking at all options.

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