ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The following statement can be attributed to ACLU-NM Executive Director Peter Simonson:
“We were dismayed to hear Governor Martinez opposes the plan to provide refuge to some of the Syrian families who are fleeing the same kind of terror we saw inflicted on Paris. Governor Martinez knows full well that the United States has a rigorous and multi-layered security screening program already in place for refugee resettlement that includes background checks by multiple agencies. Refugees undergo biometric tests, medical screenings, and in-person interview with Department of Homeland Security officials. Fearmongering against families because of their religion or national origin is unworthy of the Governor’s office and contradicts the basic values that make us American.”
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