Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday said Illinois will temporarily suspend accepting Syrian refugees following deadly attacks in Paris last week.
“Our nation and our state have a shared history of providing safe haven for those displaced by conflict, but the news surrounding the Paris terror attacks reminds us of the all-too-real security threats facing America," Rauner said in a statement. "We must find a way to balance our tradition as a state welcoming of refugees while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens. Therefore, the state of Illinois will temporarily suspend accepting new Syrian refugees and consider all of our legal options pending a full review of our country’s acceptance and security processes by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
Illinois joins several states refusing to accept refugees after the attacks.
Also Monday, Gov. Mike Pence said he is telling all state agencies to suspend the resettlement of additional Syrian refugees in Indiana. Over the weekend, Michigan's Republican governor, who has bucked many party leaders for welcoming Syrian refugees, also put efforts on hold.
Several GOP candidates have criticized the Obama administration's plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees and urge much greater scrutiny.
Officials said Friday's gun and bomb attacks killed 129 people. One of the attackers had a Syrian passport, but it wasn't clear whether the passport was fake or real.
