ACLU of Tennessee’s response to Governor Haslam’s request to suspend Syrian Refugee Resettlement

Nashville, TN (WDEF) – The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee sent out a press release Monday saying it was disappointed with Governor Haslam’s request for the federal government to suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Tennessee.

The group’s Executive Director Hedy Weinberg says, "We mourn and condemn the horrific attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad. However, the attempt by Governor Haslam and other lawmakers to draw a link between such tragedies and the admission and resettlement of Syrian refugees in Tennessee is a reflexive overreaction. The U.S. already has an extremely rigorous and multi-layered security screening program in place for refugees seeking to resettle here. Attempting to block refugee resettlement in Tennessee blames refugees for the very terror they are fleeing, and erodes our own civil liberties."