opinion

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder: Donald Trump does not speak for me

Just as terrorists who betray cherished values in the name of Islam do not speak for the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, Donald Trump does not speak for me, the state of Michigan, nor the entire Republican Party.

To say that Michigan is on the same path that Trump proposes is a great injustice to those who are working hard to make our state welcoming and successful. But the Free Press Editorial Board has tied my request for a review of immigration and visa processes to Trump’s recent inappropriate comments.

In November, I called for a pause on our refugee attraction program and asked the federal government to review how it screens refugees. I want assurances that my first priority — keeping Michigan citizens safe — is possible under current federal guidelines. If not, then it’s incumbent upon us to improve the process. If it is, then let’s welcome the many hardworking people who dream of becoming U.S. citizens.

Since then, I’ve been engaged in several discussions with federal officials to get answers to questions posed by many Michigan residents. We are doing our due diligence and I look forward to a discussion on this topic during our Dec. 15 meeting of the Council on Governors. Many of my fellow governors have joined in calling for a review, some in thoughtful ways.

There are also vocal advocates for shutting the door to refugees. I am not shutting the door, although the Free Press Editorial Board has portrayed it that way and compared me to Trump. Since the newspaper rightfully criticizes him for lumping all Muslims together, I respectfully request it refrain from painting others with a broad brush.

My position is quite the opposite from those who have called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering our country because they say many bear hatred toward the American way and pose a threat.

These comments are inappropriate, and go against my vision for the need to reinvent Michigan. We strongly value immigrants’ ideas and entrepreneurial spirit to help us do that.

During my administration, I’ve encouraged immigrants to come to Michigan, where we need workers for hundreds of skilled trades, technological and agricultural jobs that have gone unfilled. Our state is losing population and yet jobs continue to grow, causing a severe worker shortage in some industries. Immigrants who come to Michigan give our state a boost — not just economically, but culturally as well.

I’ve made 18 visits in the past year alone to meet with a range of ethnic groups who enrich our communities, from the Japan Business Society in Detroit to a Banglatown ribbon-cutting in Hamtramck.

I remain a vocal advocate for diversity. I want to continue to make Michigan a home for immigrants, including refugees who are escaping violence and oppression in all corners of the world.

It saddens me that the Detroit Free Press’ editorial board, which has had a long and venerable tradition of fighting for the disenfranchised, has in the last month ignored my efforts to welcome immigrants and lumped me in with inflammatory remarks about Muslims.

Fact: I established the Michigan Office for New Americans to help immigrants transition more smoothly into our schools, business world and cultural fabric. Earlier this year, MONA created Michigan International Talent Solutions, connecting Michigan’s employers with skilled immigrant professionals.

Fact: Michigan was home to 616,786 immigrants in 2013, according to the American Immigration Council. We have the highest proportion of Arab Americans in the nation. Earlier this fall we launched the Commission on Middle-Eastern American Affairs, which joins Hispanic Latino and Asian Pacific commissions in advising state government on issues important to their respective communities.

Fact: We established Global Michigan and the Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Cabinet, where stakeholders from business groups meet with us quarterly to brainstorm ways, among other issues, to get unemployed or underemployed immigrants into jobs that match their skills.

Fact: Michigan accepted 188 Syrian refugees in 2014, the third highest state behind California (218) and Texas (194), according to the U.S. State Department.

I’m proud of Michigan’s record, but I want to make sure the federal government is balancing national security interests with immigration processes.

For those who are angered by the indecent rhetoric and troubled that our political process is heading down an unsalvageable path, I say look to Michigan. Our diversity is one of its strengths. It helps us thrive culturally and economically. Trump’s statements are inconsistent with our spirit of inclusion.

Rick Snyder is governor of Michigan.