Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan rejects pressure to welcome Syrian refugees
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is standing firm in his opposition to resettling Syrian refugees in the state, despite assurances from top U.S. officials and growing criticism from advocates who say his stance does not reflect American values.
Christian and Jewish faith leaders delivered a petition to the governor’s State House office calling on him to welcome refugees. They said they had gathered signatures from about 100 other faith leaders in the state.
“Our elected officials have a responsibility to protect the nation, but turning away families who risk their lives to escape the destruction of war is unnecessary and wrong,” the petition said. “America can prevent attacks without turning our backs on desperate refugees.”
Hogan is one of about 30 governors, mostly Republicans, who have asked the Obama administration not to allow Syrian refugees into their states. He announced his decision in a Facebook post last week, saying he wanted the federal government to provide “appropriate assurances that refugees from Syria pose no threat to public safety.”
But Hogan said Monday that the letter did nothing to increase his confidence in the Obama administration’s screening policies.
“It’s not going to change,” he said of his position during a news conference in Baltimore. “An overwhelming majority of Marylanders support my position. Most people in the country support my position, as does a majority of Congress and the super-majority of all the states.”
Speaking with faith leaders Monday, Rabbi Stephen J. Weisman acknowledged that “no vetting process is perfect,” but he warned that losing the nation’s moral compass poses a greater threat.
“Challenging moments call not for retreat from our core values but indeed for rededication to those values,” Weisman said during a group prayer.
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