SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Bruce Rauner says Illinois will temporarily stop accepting new Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Rauner said Monday that Illinois will consider its legal options pending a review of U.S. Department and Homeland Security’s acceptance and security processes. Rauner is one of several U.S. governors who say they will stop allowing Syrian refugees into their states after Friday night attacks in Paris left at least 129 people dead.
Rauner says that, “Our nation and our state have a shared history of providing safe haven for those displaced by conflict, but the news surrounding the Paris terror attacks reminds us of the all-too-real security threats facing America. We must find a way to balance our tradition as a state welcoming of refugees while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens. Therefore, the state of Illinois will temporarily suspend accepting new Syrian refugees and consider all of our legal options pending a full review of our country’s acceptance and security processes by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
But some question whether governors have a legal right to prevent a federal refugee program from going forward.
Rauner says Illinois must balance its tradition of welcoming refugees while “ensuring the safety and security of our citizens.” The state’s Department of Human Services says 131 Syrian refugees have settled in Illinois since 2011.
