President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry reaffirmed their pledge to continue accepting refugees from Middle Eastern countries. The two reasserted the promise on June 20 in commemoration of World Refugee Day.
According to a statement from the White House, the U.S. provides more humanitarian aid to refugees than any other nation and continues to posses the world’s largest refugee resettlement program. In the statement, Obama called for the U.S. to continue to do more in order to help refugees fleeing bigotry and violence.
In addition, Obama expressed his intent to convene a special leaders’ summit on refugees when the United Nations General Assembly convenes in September.
According to the Washington Examiner, last year the Obama administration authorized the State Department to allow 85,000 refugees into the U.S. this year. Only 70,000 were allowed during the 2015 fiscal year.
By contrast, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has repeatedly said that he will not accept Syrian refugees in the state. In a 2015 press release, Bentley said that he does not wish to put the citizens of Alabama in danger by allowing Syrian refugees into the sate. According to TIME, Bentley is one of 30 governors who have pledged opposition to Obama’s plan to relocate Syrian refugees to the U.S.
