Hawaii Gov. David Ige said in a statement Monday, Hawaii and the U.S. have a long history of welcoming refugees affected by war and oppression. The governor says “Hawaii is the Aloha State, known for its tradition of welcoming all people with tolerance and mutual respect. The state would welcome refugees from Syria.”
Ige spokeswoman Jodi Leong says it’s too early to speculate on how many may come to Hawaii as the governor hasn’t been contacted by President Barack Obama or his administration.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
Ige says safety is his first priority. He says the U.S. accepts refugees only after conducting the highest level of screening and security checks. In its statement Ige says Hawaii would work with the federal government to ensure the state has the resources to help refugees.