LANSING — The White House briefed 34 governors “on the rigorous screening and security vetting process” for refugees amid security concerns about relocating people feeling the war in Syria.

Citing the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris, Gov. Rick Snyder said Sunday Michigan will suspend efforts to resettle Syrian refugees.

Relocating refugees is strictly a federal matter, but Snyder is one of 31 governors to say their state would not welcome people fleeing the war in Syria. 

Snyder’s decision was met with condemnation from Arab, Muslim and pro-immigration advocates. 

At least 120 people died in bomb and shooting attacks across Paris Friday. There is no evidence linking the assault to refugees other than a Syrian passport found at the scene of one of the bombings. French officials have confirmed that the passport, which belongs to a dead Syrian soldier, is either forged or stolen. 

Activists have downplayed the forensic value of the document, questioning why a terrorist would carry his passport around.

France announced a manhunt for a Belgian-born French suspect on Sunday in connection to the attacks.  

Thomas de Maiziere, the German interior minister, said leaving the passport at the scene could be an ISIS ploy to turn public opinion against refugees.

But right wing politicians across the West are still raising security concerns about refugees following the Paris tragedy. 

Snyder made that decision after State Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, called on him to “reverse his call to relocate Syrian refugees in the state.”

“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.

He added that residents’ security is a priority to him.

In a 90-minute conference call, hosted by the White House, federal security officials explained the process of admitting refugees to 34 governors across the nation.

“The Administration officials reiterated what the President has made abundantly clear: that his top priority is the safety of the American people,” the White House said in a statement. “That’s why, even as the United States accepts more refugees — including Syrians — we do so only after they undergo the most rigorous screening and security vetting of any category of traveler to the United States.”

“This is not leadership.” – Tlaib

“This is Islamophobia”

Dawud Walid, the Michigan executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), said the governor’s concerns about the screening process for refugees are “insincere” because he knows that the Department of Home Land Security has a thorough system in place. 

Walid added that Snyder quickly bowed down to a few Republican state representatives without meeting with the community.

“This goes to show the weight of Islamophobia in our society,” he added. “The poor Syrian people fled their homelands due to ISIS, and now they’re being prevented from resettling in some places because of people making generalizations that they are ISIS.” 

Brian Stone, a Democratic candidate for the State House of Representatives, said Snyder is punishing the refugees for something they did not do.

“I think we need to call this what it is; this is Islamophobia,” Stone said. 

He added that fear of Muslims is driving the governor’s policy. 

“The governor needs to confront his own prejudice,” he said. “To turn away refugees who are fleeing from the same terrorists that are causing these attacks in Beirut and Paris and Baghdad is to further victimize people who are already victims of terrorism.”

Former State Rep. Rashida Tlaib echoed Stone’s comments.

She said refugees are fleeing ISIS, and the governor is telling them, “Michigan doesn’t want you.”

“Gov. Snyder is allowing these murderous terrorist thugs to dictate whether or not Michigan will provide humanitarian relief to innocent civilians, many of them are families, women and children,” Tlaib told The Arab American News. “It’s a shame to let those attacks dictate who we are. That’s not leadership.”

The former state representative said Snyder’s move brings into question his efforts to make Michigan a welcoming state.

Tlaib addressed Snyder on Twitter to make her feelings known.

“@onetoughnerd we expect more from you,” she Tweeted to Snyder. “This sends the wrong message.”

Dr. Muzammil Ahmed, chairperson of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, called Snyder’s statement “shortsighted.”

“It’s based on an emotional reaction, which we all feel, about the horrendous atrocities of terrorism,” he said. “We hope to meet him and engage him and get him to understand that his fears are not warranted.” 

Snyder’s decision follows comments by Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who said the United States should focus on helping Christian refugees. 

Presidential Candidate, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, also said the United States should not accept more refugees from Syria.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, also wrote a letter to President Obama Sunday, protesting relocating refugees to New Orleans.

Many governors cited FBI Director James Comey’s criticism to the vetting process in their decisions.

“If someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing showing up because we have no record of them,” Comey said last month.

At the Group of 20 summit meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, President Obama said refugees are victims of terror.

“Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values,” he said. “Our nations can welcome refugees who are desperately seeking safety and ensure our own security. We can and must do both.”

Snyder

“Disappointment” 

Several community organizations said they were “disappointed”by the governor’s call. 

“We were most disappointed in the lack of moral leadership at such a difficult time,” Christine Sauvé, southeast communities coordinator for Welcoming Michigan, said. “This is a time when we should be uniting residents, not furthering the fear and confusion and anxiety among the public.”

Sauvé explained that Snyder cannot legally stop Syrian refugees from settling in Michigan. She said most funding for refugees comes from federal grants. 

According to Sauvé, Snyder could be sued for discriminating against people based on their national origin if the state denies services or implements policies to newcomers from Syria. 

ACCESS, which provides services to newcomers, also said it was “disappointed” in Snyder’s statement.

“The Governor’s remarks are hasty in the absence of a conclusion to any investigation into the attacks on Paris, especially considering the robust and lengthy screening procedures for Syrian refugees already in place by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” the organization said in a statement.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan also voiced disappointment in the governor, saying the governor would be violating the Constitution if he discriminates against refugees because of their nationality. 

“America has long prided itself on its rich history of embracing refugees fleeing from persecution and war — and we see no reason for Gov. Snyder to tarnish that legacy,” Kary Moss, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan, said.

State Rep. George Darany (D-Dearborn) reiterated that federal policy controls refugee resettlement, expressing concerns about state leaders “stirring up” the conversation.

“Our nation is a nation of immigrants and often a beacon of hope for those facing terrorizing situations on a daily basis,” Darany said in a statement. “As the grandson of an immigrant family from Syria, I certainly appreciate the opportunities that this state and country have provided.”

He acknowledged security worries but said denying all refugees from Syria goes against the United State’s founding principles. 

Sauvé, of Welcoming Michigan, said there is a consensus among experts that the Department of Homeland Security’s screening process is thorough, and it is “extremely difficult” for people who pose a threat to slip through the system’s scrutiny. 

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) told The Arab American News in September that he trusts the vetting procedures for refugees.

“Before folks are granted refugee status, there is a process they go through to make sure they are not a threat and that they have legitimate claims related to their refugee status — that it would be dangerous for them to return to their home country,” Peters said. “That process needs to go forward. That is a limiting factor because of the time it takes to do the background check, but it is important to do that.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who had called for increased aid to refugees, highlighted security concerns but said Michigan should not shut its doors to refugees.

“This is deeply personal for so many families in Michigan whose loved ones are fleeing unthinkable persecution and violence, and Michigan should continue to be a place where we can reunite families while ensuring the safety and security of our homeland,” the senator said in a statement. 

Snyder proclaimed himself the most pro-immigration governor in the nation at a community event in Hamtramck last week.

Asked about the governor’s record on immigration, Walid, of CAIR-MI, said, “Actions speak louder than words.”