Shumlin: Vermont will help Syrian refugees

SOUTH BURLINGTON – Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin says governors who turn away Syrian refugees are “stomping” on American values.

As of late Monday afternoon, at least 12 governors had said they would attempt to stop the relocation of refugees from Syria because of safety concerns following Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris.

“The governors who are taking those actions are stomping on the qualities that make America great,” Shumlin said at an unrelated news conference Monday morning, “which is reaching out to folks when they’re in trouble and offering them help, not hurting them.”

Shumlin's fellow Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan in neighboring New Hampshire called for the federal government to halt acceptance of Syrian refugees until the screening process could be "as strong as possible," according to media reports.

Shumlin has faith in the process: “We root out folks who should not be accepted,” he said.

As of September, the United States had accepted 1,854 refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria. The war has displaced about 4 million people.

Shumlin said he believes seven or eight refugees from Syria are being considered for placement through the Refugee Resettlement Program in Vermont, and he thinks the state can take more.

“It’s the spirit of all Vermonters to ensure that when you have folks who are drowning, who are dying in pursuit of freedom, that Vermont does its part,” Shumlin said.

Vermont House Minority Leader Don Turner, R-Milton, questioned the financial implications of accepting refugees, but he stopped short of saying Vermont should turn them away.

“We have a huge financial problems in this state already, we have Vermonters who go without, and I’d like to take care of Vermonters prior to opening our doors for people outside the state," Turner said.

Turner said he also needs more assurance about the safety screening process for refugee resettlement.

Amila Merdzanovic of the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program said there are no Syrian refugees in Vermont, but there are plans for some to come this year. She was unsure how many.

She said there is an extensive screening process for refugees resettled in the United States.

“I am very happy to see that the governor is on the same page as us when it comes to refugee resettlement,” Merdzanovic said.

Contributing: Associated Press, USA TODAY. Contact April Burbank at 802-660-1863 or aburbank@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AprilBurbank