With a refugee crisis flooding Europe, President Obama made an announcement to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States in the coming years, reported the Associated Press. Hawaii Governor David Ige announced the State of Hawaii would participate in accepting these refugees, according to AP.
This has drawn several reactions from students and Hawaii elected officials. Hawaii State Senator Sam Slom wrote a letter to the governor, saying, “Like you, I celebrate Hawaii’s unique Aloha Spirit, openness and sense of welcome. However, there are limits and practical realities to every stated policy... Hawaii is already short on critical resources like housing. Just take a look at our homeless situation, look at how hard it is to find affordable rent... We can be compassionate, we can extend the Aloha Spirit, but it is important to also be realistic and pragmatic to our state resources,” reported KHON2.
Students interviewed said they agree with Slom, saying there are limited resources in Hawaii. “It kind of surprises me because Hawaii has a lot of homeless people...and I don’t know if [refugees] would make that problem skyrocket or if they would be able to find homes,” said Jessie Eakins, a sophomore studying exercise and sports science from Utah.
Jaden Epplette, a senior studying psychology from Canada, said a major concern would be the local people already struggling for jobs and houses, and it wouldn’t be different for the refugees. “It's on an island, and there’s not a lot of expansion that happens here,” he said. “It’s just going to make it crowded.”
For Synneva Collett, a international cultural studies junior from Montana, a major problem would be relocation. “It's hard enough to find housing for students,” she said.
Another reason people are hesitant to take in refugees is the fear that it will also encourage crime. “I don’t want to put the citizens, the residents at risk,” said Vaetiti Vatmae Kaitu, an elementary education freshman from Tuvalu.
However, the Associated Press reports “that the deadly Paris attacks were carried out largely, if not entirely, by Europeans trained by Islamic State extremists. All the Nov. 13 attackers identified so far have been from France or Belgium, native French speakers who wanted to join IS extremists.”
Ige announced at a news conference that Hawaii is obligated to participate in the refugee placement program, just as other states are, according to AP. The refugee would need a sponsor, such as family members or community groups where they relocate. Before refugees would come to Hawaii, they would go through an intense interview process.
U.S Senator Mazie Hirono representing Hawaii spoke out in favor of the refugees and Ige’s decision. “Our country has a history of welcoming refugees who escape war and oppression in their homes, as I mentioned. And the war in Syria has been going on for over four years. Over 250,000 Syrians have died. Millions have been displaced... We have a long tradition of welcoming people from different cultures and respect their backgrounds and their cultures,” she said, according to KHON2.
The LDS Church has encouraged members to help the refugees, reported Deseret News. Ways to help could be donating to the humanitarian fund and participating in local refugee relief projects. The Church provided $5 million in September to help refugees in Europe.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited refugee camps in Germany and Greece on Nov. 16, according to the Deseret News. He reported that nearly 400,000 refugees have arrived with 7,000 more arriving each day. “It’s overwhelming to see the magnitude of the size of this problem.”
According to a video the Church published Oct. 24, 2014, some refugees arrive in the camps with only the clothes on their back. “The Lord has made it clear that one of the great responsibilities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we are to feed the hungry and the poor. We’re to reach out and take care of them,” said Elder Ballard in the video.
In response to the Church's plea, Sylvianne Kaonohi, an intern at the Counseling Center from Tahiti, said, “If it's from the prophet, then I’ll say yes. Because who are we to judge? Obviously, He’ll do something to help us. I won’t go against Him. But then again we have agency to choose, and I’ll choose Him.”