Refugee issue sparks debate in C. Oregon

It’s a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale that might be arriving in Oregon soon. Millions are fleeing death and destruction in Syria. President Obama announced the U.S. would accept 10,000 refugees in 2016.

Although governors do not have the authority to decide whether they’re accepting refugees in their states, many have voiced their opposition.

Meanwhile, Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement on Tuesday that Oregon would allow refugees.

On Wednesday she stated on Twitter: “Clearly, Oregon will continue to accept refugees. They seek safe haven and we will continue to open the doors of opportunity to them. The words on the Statue of Liberty apply in Oregon just as they do in every other state.”

On NewsChannel 21’s Facebook page, there were hundreds of comments on this topic in what turned out to be one of KTVZ’s most-discussed articles ever.

Mat Clune said on Facebook: “If you ask me, we already have plenty of problems here in Oregon. Our schools, veterans, minimum wage, Oregon’s hungry and homeless need help first.”

Many voiced concern over terrorists possibly hiding among refugees.

Barry Geigle said: “The blood of any Oregon citizens that are murdered by Islamic Jihadists that slip through amongst the Syrian refugees will be on Kate Brown’s hands.”

Professor Jessica Hammerman, who teaches world history at Central Oregon Community College, said Wednesday that’s exactly what ISIS wants.

“I think it’s a scary time, and it’s understandable but to tar all Muslims with the same brush is a big mistake,” Hammerman said. “ISIS want to bring on the end of days through a war between West and East essentially.”

Hammerman said there is a lot of diversity in the Muslim world, and ISIS is targeting anyone who does not live by their ideology, including other Muslims.

“The Syrian refugees are fleeing from the same people that people are so afraid of right now, who are attacking Paris right now,” Hammerman said.

Five days after the attack in Paris, French President Francois Hollande said France is not changing its refugee policy.

“Thirty-thousand refugees will be welcomed over the next two years. Our country has the duty to respect this commitment,” Hollande said.

It is a debate that’s also being heard in churches across the High Desert.

“We’re called to extend welcome, we’re called to live beyond fear, we’re called to extend compassion,” said pastor Jennifer Warner from the First Presbyterian Church in Bend.

The White House said there are very strict screening procedures in place. Refugees are being vetted by multiple agencies including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

For Pastor Warner, the refugee debate is especially important a month before Christmas.

“Jesus and his family fled to Egypt as refugees,” Waner said. “In this season, it’s a really interesting time to think about refugees and our welcome, when the person we claim to follow was actually a refugee himself.”

Gov. Brown’s office sent out a document of frequently asked questions regarding refugees. It says that the federal State Department contracts with national resettlement agencies to provide resettlement services to refugees.

The local voluntary resettlement agencies are:
• Catholic Charities (CC)
• Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW)
• Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR)/Ecumenical Ministries of
Oregon (EMO)

The state Department of Human Services provides up to eight months of cash assistance and employment services to refugee families.