Obama: Syrian refugees ‘part of what makes US great’
US President Barack Obama says Muslim refugees coming from Syria are “part of what makes America great,” indirectly rejecting a recent proposal by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to bar Muslims from entering the US.
A White House official confirmed on Thursday that Obama has personally responded to an online post, purportedly sent on the “Humans of New York (HONY)” thread by an unnamed Syrian refugee.
“I still think I have a chance to make a difference in the world," the man was quoted as saying on HONY. "I have several inventions that I’m hoping to patent once I get to America. I just hope that it is safe and that it is a place where they respect science. I just want to get back to work. I want to be a person again. I do not want the world to think I’m over. I’m still here.”
The man added in his post that he was going to “Troy, Michigan” after arriving on US soil.
Apparently touched by the passionate words, the American president took to his official Facebook account on Wednesday and assured the man that he will be welcomed “with the compassion and support you deserve."
"As a husband and a father, I cannot even begin to imagine the loss you've endured," Obama added. "You and your family are an inspiration."
“You’re part of what makes America great,” Obama said.
Some interpret Obama's remarks as an indirect response to Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Trump ignited a political firestorm on Monday by floating the idea of a “total and complete” ban on all Muslims entering the US.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the billionaire’s plan to bar Muslims “disqualifies” him from becoming president.
Obama’s plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the US this year has been met with resistance from some congressional lawmakers and state governors.
The US has resettled only about 1,500 Syrian refugees since 2011, when the deadly conflict began in Syria.
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