For Immediate Release: November 17, 2015
Contact: Gretchen Andersen 202.225.2301

Washington, D.C – Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) and nine members from Pennsylvania sent a letter to Governor Tom Wolf urging him indefinitely suspend efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Pennsylvania until there are verifiable and robust mechanisms in place to properly screen all participants for potential security risks. 

The letter arrives a day after Wolf announced Pennsylvania will continue to accept Syrian refugees, despite the potential security risks and even in light of new information on the suspected perpetrators of the Paris attacks, believed to have entered Europe through Greece on a Syrian passport  obtained under the pretense of fleeing violence and upheaval in Syria.

You can read the full letter here. 

Mayor Bill Peduto enlisted Pittsburgh as a host city for the Refugee Resettlement Program and signed a letter encouraging President Obama to increase the number of Syrian refugees above the 10,000 he initially agreed to resettle in the United States. Governor Wolf weighed in after the Paris attacks standing by the effort to resettle Syrian refugees in Pennsylvania, despite the inability - as admitted by federal security officials - to fully screen the refugees.

“The recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France are a stark reminder that we cannot risk the safety of our homeland and our Commonwealth; therefore, we write to ask you to suspend Pennsylvania’s participation in President Obama’s Syrian refugee resettlement initiative,” the leaders write.

The members continue, “Though promised to Congress, the Administration has not provided details of a rigorous and thorough screening plan – one that will thwart ISIS infiltration – for this refugee initiative. Meanwhile, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Secretary of Homeland Security have all provided testimony to Congress in recent weeks stating that they cannot properly screen refugees coming from Syria and the surrounding regions for national security threats.”

A copy of the letter can be found below.

Governor Wolf
The Office of Governor Tom Wolf
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120 

Dear Governor Wolf –

The United States has a proud history, as does the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in offering refuge to peoples persecuted and displaced across the globe. But in the midst of a highly volatile and potential threat against the homeland, our nation has an obligation to protect American citizens from those who seek to take advantage of our generosity at the expense of innocent lives. 

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France are a stark reminder that we cannot risk the safety of our homeland and our Commonwealth; therefore, we write to ask you to suspend Pennsylvania’s participation in President Obama’s Syrian refugee resettlement initiative.

Despite concerns expressed by his own national security team on the lack of screenings and background checks, President Obama has directed his Administration to scale up the number of Syrian refugees coming to the United States next year. The United States expects to admit 70,000 refugees from all over the world next fiscal year, including 10,000 Syrian refugees. Though promised to Congress, the Administration has not provided details of a rigorous and thorough screening plan – one that will thwart ISIS infiltration – for this refugee initiative. Meanwhile, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Secretary of Homeland Security have all provided testimony to Congress in recent weeks stating that they cannot properly screen refugees coming from Syria and the surrounding regions for national security threats. 

Mayors from larger metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh and Allentown, have agreed to accept Syrian refugees for resettlement. Given the shocking and depraved nature of the terrorist attacks in Paris, we request that you join the leadership of Governors from 27 states and indefinitely suspend efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Pennsylvania until there are verifiable and robust mechanisms in place to properly screen all participants for potential security risks.

Sincerely,

Rep. Tim Murphy

Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick

Rep. Patrick Meehan

Rep. Keith Rothfus

Rep. Bill Shuster

Rep. Tom Marino

Rep. Ryan A. Costello

Rep. Glenn 'GT' Thompson

Rep. Joe Pitts

Rep. Mike Kelly

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In his seventh term representing Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district encompassing suburban Pittsburgh including parts of Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland and Greene Counties, Rep. Tim Murphy also serves as a Commander in the Navy Reserve Medical Service Corps as a psychologist treating Wounded Warriors with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.