The attacks in Paris were yet another horrific reminder that terrorism is real and unpredictable. Like every terrorist attack before it, the world is forced to sift through the horror for clues that will help us prevent future attacks. That investigation revealed some of the terrorists may have posed as refugees to enter France, a revelation that has put the security of our own refugee program in question for Coloradans and citizens around the nation.
There have been members of our military with ties to Colorado Springs mentioned by name on an ISIS kill list, new terror threats against the United States are being made by these terror groups, and for many of us the Sept. 11 attacks are still vivid in our minds. We have had assurances from elected officials, including our governor and the president that the screening process is adequate, and that refugees coming into our country do not pose a threat; however, hearing reports from officials within our security agencies express concerns about our screening capability in these war-torn countries, makes these assurances fall well short of easing my concerns. Recently Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he would not put it past ISIS terrorists to infiltrate refugees, and FBI Director James Comey stated there are gaps in the data available to us in these countries.
The fact is Coloradans are scared and I don’t blame them. Our state resettles more than 2,000 refugees a year. While many of them are women and children, some are not. Coloradans’ concerns about this program are not politically motivated, nor are they about the merits of helping refugees facing the horrors of war, they’re about our safety. For many Coloradans, the horrific images and stories from the Paris attack have become glaring reminders of our own refugee program and its questionable security. If our governor is convinced this refugee program is safe then he needs to help the rest of us understand and convince us that as we approach the holidays, what happened in France will not happen here.
I recognize that this refugee resettlement program is federal and our governor does not have the authority to stop it, but as a voice for concerned Coloradans, I would hope he would speak for our state and ask that the resettlement of refugees be suspended until we are convinced the program is safe.
Don Coram represents House District 58, which includes Cortez, in Colorado’s General Assembly. Contact Rep. Coram by phone at (303) 866-2955 or by e-mail at don.coram.house@state.co.us.
