INDIANAPOLIS | House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, is condemning Republican Gov. Mike Pence's attempt to block the resettlement of Syrian war refugees in Indiana.
"That was the governor just sticking his chest out, wanting to take over a national issue or get a little piece of it," Pelath said.
The former Army reservist acknowledged Tuesday he understands the security concerns, and certainly does not want to allow anyone into Indiana who may harm Hoosiers.
"At the same time, I heard (Republican New Jersey Gov.) Chris Christie say yesterday that he wouldn't accept a five-year-old orphan from a war-torn country," Pelath said. "I hope the governor doesn't feel that way. It seems like common sense should prevail."
Pelath said the 23 governors, almost all Republicans, who announced Monday they would not allow Syrian refugee resettlement in their states really just "wanted to be able to put out a press release that they were being tough on ISIS."
"Look, we're all tough on ISIS. We want to see ISIS destroyed along with anybody else," Pelath said. "But for the medium to be that we wouldn't accept a five-year-old orphan in this state? I don't know if that says what we want to say about ourselves."
A Pence spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Pence supports banning war orphans from Indiana.
The governor said in a statement Monday that after the ISIS attacks in Paris he directed state agencies to suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees pending assurances from the federal government that proper security measures have been achieved.
In the past three years just 12 Syrian refugees have settled in Indiana, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Pence can't actually prohibit refugees from finding a home in Indiana, as numerous federal laws and court rulings affirm the supremacy of the federal government over states on immigration matters and allow admitted refugees to locate anywhere in the country.