DETROIT — During a forum last Monday, Gov. Snyder said more refugees have immigrated into Michigan since he proposed a pause on them entering the state in November.

Snyder took to the stage at the Michigan Chronicle’s Pancakes and Politics breakfast forum at the Detroit Athletic Club to answer questions from an audience on a number of issues, including welcoming refugees to the state, health in Flint, financial issues at the Detroit Public Schools and more.

In an interview broadcast on the news program Michigan Matters, the governor said, in response to a question on the issue by the program’s host, Carol Cain, the pause he proposed on bringing in refugees was about halting the expansion of the program, not refugees altogether.

“There’s been a continuing flow of refugees coming to Michigan, not just from Syria, but from around the world,” Snyder said.

He added that a serious vetting program to thoroughly screen refugees is needed and largely already exists.

Snyder advocated for more open dialogue between officials and community members and condemned biased information online or in politics that reinforce people’s fear.

“There’s too much anger and fear out there and we need to get facts out to people as to what the process is and make much more informed decisions as a society,” Snyder said.

Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, asked the governor about his stance on welcoming refugees, given the difficulty of the screening
process.

“I hope for a nation that welcomes people,” Snyder replied.

The challenge, Snyder continued, is welcoming immigrants in a “safe fashion that respects national security.”

He said he aims to find that balance, partly by collaborating with Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson to improve communications with the public on the effectiveness of the process.