In order to “ensure the safety and security of all Hoosiers,” Indiana Governor Mike Pence has refused to allow any Syrian refugees into the state of Indiana. Over half of U.S. governors have similar concerns about the relocation of refugees from Syria. These positions were taken in response to the recent tragedy in Paris on Nov. 13.

However, only one of the terrorists involved with the Paris attacks held a Syrian passport. So for over half of the governors in our country to assume that banning Syrian refugees will eliminate terrorist threats is absurd, not to mention the fact that these governors’ statements paint their states as Islamophobic by generalizing an entire nation of individuals based off one seemingly unrelated incident.

Now that over half of the United States is forbidding the entry of Syrian refugees, the lives of these Syrian refugees will worsen. In the wake of a major terrorist attack, it is inevitable that fear will spread among individuals from all walks of life. However, the fear that we feel in the United States after the attacks in Paris must be nothing compared to the fear of Syrian families every day. Many of these families are terrified by and want to get far away from ISIS just as we do in the United States. Yet we continue to reject refugees from ISIS-controlled areas simply because we ourselves are afraid?

According to the Exodus Refugee Immigration of Indianapolis, refugees are the most heavily screened group of immigrants entering the United States. All refugees face both security and health screenings, including extensive background checks from U.S. security agencies and in-person interviews by Homeland Security. In addition, approximately half of all refugee applications are rejected. These facts suggest it is not easy to enter our country as a refugee. These high-security measures make statements made by governors such as Pence seem to lack any valid reasoning.

In other words, it seems Pence’s statement was not only made without evidence, but also without much else in mind than fear. Instead of taking the time to study the facts, Pence jumped to a conclusion and made a decision. These decisions have immediate effects on Syrian families already approved to move to Indiana after years of waiting. One such family, comprised of a married couple and their 5-year-old son, was forced to relocate to Connecticut despite being scheduled to arrive in Indianapolis after three years of awaiting approval in Jordan.

When this Syrian family arrived in New Haven on Nov. 18, they were welcomed by Daniel Malloy, the governor of Connecticut. Luckily for this family, the decisions of Mike Pence had no impact on their arrival to the United States as they are safely settling into an accepting community in Connecticut.

For so many families, the United States represents the opportunity for a better life and the pursuit of the American Dream. If a family has endured the tedious and grueling processes that one must undergo in order to legally enter the United States, they should not be denied any of the trademark American opportunities because of ethnicity. Yet today, in so many states, governors are trying to prevent Syrian refugees from beginning new lives in America because of the actions of a fundamentalist terrorist group affiliated with a radical sect of Islam.

These hopeful Syrian refugees are trying to flee a war-ridden and terror-filled society. They have been minimized into an unfair and fear-mongering generalization that all Syrians are Muslim and all Muslims are terrorists. If anyone deserves a fair chance in our country, it is these Syrian refugees looking for a welcoming home. Luckily for these refugees, 19 of our states have realized the reality of the Syrian refugees’ situation and have continued to welcome them with open arms and fair judgement. If there is any silver lining to this refugee crisis and the despicable acts of our Governor, it is that these Syrian families looking for an escape will end up someplace much more open and accepting than our state.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Emma Love at [email protected].