Admitting Syrian refugees is wrong move

We disagree with Gov. Tom Wolf's decision to proceed with plans to continue to admit Syrian refugees into the commonwealth in 2016. This decision comes despite the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and reports that one of the terrorists probably sneaked into France through Greece with other refugees who were fleeing from the killing and chaos in Syria.

"While details are still emerging regarding the individuals responsible for the heinous attacks in Paris, all of those responsible for committing atrocious acts must be brought to justice," said Jeffrey Sheridan, a spokesman for Wolf. He added, however, "We must not lose sight of the fact that families leaving Syria are trying to escape the same violence and unimaginable terror that took place in Paris and Beirut." ISIS operatives on Friday killed 129 people and wounded 350 in coordinated attacks at six locations throughout Paris. The day before, ISIS extremists detonated two suicide bombs in southern Beirut, Lebanon, killing 43 people and injuring about 240 others. An ISIS propaganda message two days after the Paris attacks warned that our nation's capital could be next.

More than 4 million Syrian refugees have sought a safe haven in Europe since Syrian government forces and rebels started fighting five years ago. Nearly 8 million other Syrians have been displaced from their homes, according to U.N. reports.

President Barack Obama said after the Paris carnage that the U.S. remains firm on its plan to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States next year. One of the Paris attackers possessed a Syrian passport and came into Europe via Greece along with other refugees, according to a French official.

This is what concerns us. Are the refugees being properly vetted? Yes, of course, on one hand we want to be what we have always been - the land of compassion that welcomes the tired, the poor, the displaced, the disenfranchised, those wishing to be free and desiring freedom - but we also need to be prudent in the face of an enemy that has total disregard for human life.

They brand as mortal enemies those who do not embrace the extremist Muslim philosophy that all "infidels" must be converted or eliminated. We can't take chances that extremists exported from Syria might use our generosity and welcoming hearts against us by posing as refugees.

The attacks in Paris on soft targets were not aimed at a religious, ethnic or governmental group. They were designed to disrupt the normal way of life in the international cosmopolitan "City of Lights" and to bring fear and terror into the hearts of everyday people.

We urge Wolf to join a growing chorus of governors who have said that the refugees are not welcome until there can be a guarantee that the vetting process is handled in a proper and foolproof way to ensure the safety of our citizens. Among those who are saying "no" to refugee entry are Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, a Republican, and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat like Wolf.

Christie, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said, "I do not trust this administration to effectively vet the people who are supposed to be coming in to protect the safety and security of the American people, so I would not permit them in."

This is our concern, too.

Wolf's spokesman has assured the citizens of Pennsylvania that the governor is aware of their concerns. "Pennsylvania will continue working with the federal government to ensure that all individuals have gone through the proper screening process," Sheridan said.

"Gov. Wolf wants Pennsylvania to continue to build on its rich history of accepting immigrants and refugees from around the world, but he is also committed to protecting Pennsylvanians and will work with the federal government to ensure it is taking every precaution necessary in screening those families coming into the country."

All of the lamentations on this issue might be for nothing, because Lavinia Limon of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigration said that the Refugee Act of 1980 prevents governors from legally blocking refugees from settling in their communities. So, in the final analysis, the sole decision may rest with the Obama administration through an executive order based on the 1980 law.

What the heck ever happened to states' rights and the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

BRUCE FRASSINELLI | tneditor@tnonline.com