St. Paul, MINN— Representative Marion O'Neill (R-Maple Lake), issued the following statement in support of a letter sent by House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) calling on Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to urge President Obama to suspend relocation efforts for Syrian refugees until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has completed a full review of security and screening procedures for refugees entering the country.
A copy of the letter is attached can be found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/289972457/Letter-to-Governor-Dayton-regarding-Syrian-Refugees
"The federal government must ensure that it is keeping Americans safe, and that means suspending the refugee relocation program until we are assured that it is screening out terrorists and those entering our nation with the intent to do us harm," said Rep. O'Neill. "While what is happening to innocent Syrian refugees is tragic, the recent terrorist attack in France demonstrates that now more than ever, Governor Dayton should be standing up for Minnesota families and President Obama should be prioritizing the protection of our nation above all else."
In 2015, Rep. O'Neill and House Republicans championed an initiative to help the Department of Public Safety combat the recruitment of Minnesotans by terrorist organizations like ISIS.