A prominent Republican in Tennessee said his state’s national guard should “gather up” Syrian refugees and remove them from the state.
“We need to activate the Tennessee National Guard and stop them from coming in to the state by whatever means we can,” said state Tennessee House GOP Caucus Chairman Glen Casada on Tuesday, according to the Tennessean.
“I’m not worried about what a bureaucrat in D.C. or an unelected judge thinks,” he said. “We need to gather [Syrian refugees] up and politely take them back to the [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] center and say, ‘They’re not coming to Tennessee, they’re yours.'”
Casada’s remarks came on the same day that Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam sent a letter to President Obama formally asking him to suspend the process of placing refugees in the Volunteer State. Thirty of 1,601 refugees settled in Tennessee are of Syrian origin, according to the Tennessee Office for Refugees.
Haslam, a Republican, responded to Casada’s comments, warning that Tennesseans can’t forget their humanity for fear of admitting a terrorist who may try to mimic the attacks last week that left at least 129 dead in Paris.
“Earlier this week I requested that the federal government, which has legal authority over the screening and placement of refugees, to suspend placements of Syrian refugees in Tennessee until states can be made more of a partner in the vetting process,” Haslam said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “This request was made in response to the concern Tennesseans share about our security in light of the Paris attacks, and I believe states need to be more involved in knowing who is being placed in their jurisdictions.”
“However, let me be clear: We must not lose ourselves in the process,” Haslam added. “If we abandon our values by completely shutting our doors to those who seek the freedom we enjoy or mistreating our neighbors who made it here after enduring unimaginable hardships, the terrorists win.”
Tennessee Democrats also piled on criticism.
U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, representing Tennessee’s 5th District, called comments made by Casada and fellow Republican Jeremy Durham “intolerant” and “embarrassing.”
“Panicky remarks from our state legislature do not make America safer. The Tennessee National Guard should not be used to ’round up’ recent immigrants,” Cooper said. “Such loose talk is not only ineffective but embarrassing. The FBI and local law enforcement have done an excellent job of policing any threats.”
Durham, the Tennessee House majority whip, said he believed the state should “use any means necessary” to stop refugees from entering Tennessee.
On Wednesday, Casada defended his comments.
According to the Tennessean, Casada called on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to “follow” refugees settled in the state, even if they had not committed any crimes, and called on Tennesseans to exhibit “civil disobedience” in an effort to “protect the lives and property of Tennesseans.”
