Conservative pressure is mounting on new House Speaker Paul Ryan to block President Obama’s plan to allow up to 10,000 additional Syrian refugees to resettle in the United States.
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, GOP presidential candidates — backed by conservative lawmakers and some governors — are opposing the refugee resettlement plan out of fear the migrants could pose a terror threat.
Ryan said Monday that House GOP leaders were considering all options — including blocking resettlement funds in a must-pass year-end spending bill.
“We’ve always been a generous nation, taking in refugees, but this is a unique situation,” said Ryan, R-Wis., during a radio interview with conservative host Bill Bennett.
Obama, speaking at the conclusion of a global summit in Turkey, defended his policy and warned his critics against “slamming the door” on migrants who are fleeing the civil war in Syria.
The administration admitted 1,600 Syrian refugees in the fiscal year that just ended in September, and wants to increase that to 10,000 this year.
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