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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland man admits to laundering pot money ... Pot crash course offered in Ashland ... Animal Control rescues stranded Labrador ... Ashland man admits to laundering pot money ... Pot crash course offered in Ashland ... Animal Control rescues stranded Labrador ... OUR VIEW Our View: Governor gets it right on refugee question Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News It took her a while, but Gov. Kate Brown made the right call Tuesday when she declared that Oregon would welcome Syrian refugees to the state if federal authorities admit them into the country. Brown not only demonstrated a better grasp of her legal authority than the 27 governors who said they would refuse to accept any Syrian refugees, she upheld America's tradition of offering asylum to people fleeing for their lives from war and conflict around the globe. In the second of two Twitter posts Tuesday, the governor tweeted, "The words on the Statue of Liberty apply in Oregon just as they do in every other state." The governors of more than half the states apparently think those words are conditional. They also apparently believe they have the power to refuse to accept people who have been admitted to the country by federal authorities. They don't. That didn't stop them from pretending they do, nor did it prevent some Republican presidential candidates from suggesting that the United States should (a) close all mosques, (b) admit only Christian refugees or (c) refuse entry to any Syrian, even orphaned infants. The terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday touched off a debate about refugees and the threat they might pose. When French authorities reported that a Syrian passport was found next to the body of one of the dead suicide bombers, the reaction here was immediate. What that reaction overlooked is that Europe's borders are particularly porous right now, while the U.S. refugee relocation program is not. Even if it turns out an ISIL terrorist posed as a refugee in Europe, that doesn't mean the same tactic would get an impostor into the United States. Without question, U.S. authorities must be extremely careful who they allow into the country. And they are. A few facts: The average processing time for a U.S. refugee application is a year to 18 months. Applicants from the Middle East can wait even longer. The background check process is rigorous, involving multiple face-to-face interviews and cross-checking against multiple databases. Most refugees admitted are women, children and the elderly and infirm, not combat-age men. The U.S. refugee program has admitted millions of people since 1980. Not one has committed an act of terrorism on U.S. soil. Federal authorities should be especially vigilant when it comes to people seeking refugee status from Syria or other countries where ISIL operates. But refusing to take in people fleeing death and destruction is not just heartless. It's un-American. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501