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Rick Scott Opposes Syrian Refugees In Florida, U.S.

Governor Rick Scott
The Florida Channel

Florida Governor Rick Scott is opposed to allowing more than 400 Syrian refugees to re-settle in Florida. Several other state governors are taking a similar stance after terrorist attacks in Paris last week.

Governor Rick Scott says he’s ordering the Florida Department of Children and Families not to comply with a federal request to house 425 Syrian refugees in the state.

In a letter to Congressional leaders, Scott writes Florida does not have the authority to prevent the federal government from funding the relocation of the Syrian refugees and so it’s asking the Congress to stop President Obama’s administration from using any federal money to fund their relocation anywhere in the United States, without an extensive evaluation of the risk these individuals may pose to our national security. The Obama administration says it’s already doing that.

The President had called for 10,000 and immigrants to come to the U.S., but the recent attacks in Paris and reports that one of the suspects may have posed as a refugee has led to backlash against that policy.

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Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lynn has served as reporter/producer for WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She is an award-winning member of the Capital Press Corps and has participated in the NPR Kaiser Health News Reporting Partnership and NPR Education Initiative. 

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