CITY HALL

Fischer urges welcoming of Syrian refugees

Mayor Fischer is lending his voice to the event in the wake of Congress' bipartisan vote last week to halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the U.S.

Phillip M. Bailey
Louisville Courier Journal

Mayor Greg Fischer is calling on residents to join a community rally Tuesday to show Louisville's solidarity with victims of recent terrorist attacks while welcoming immigrants fleeing those same extremist groups.

The mayor is lending his voice to the event in the wake of Congress' bipartisan vote last week to halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the U.S. amid growing security concerns about the immigration vetting process.

"On this week of Thanksgiving, we must celebrate and give thanks that we are a nation of immigrants," Fischer said in a prepared statement. "We are also a city of immigrants, from the early Irish, Italian and German immigrants who built Louisville to today's immigrants from Cuba, Mexico Syria, Iraq and other nations."

Tuesday's rally is being organized by the city's Compassionate Louisville campaign along with Pakistani Americans for Compassion and Education and local Islamic centers, according to Fischer's office.

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The event had been in the works for the past few days, a Fischer spokesman said, and the mayor wanted to encourage residents to participate.

Fischer joined 62 other mayors who signed a letter last Friday urging Congress not to take action preventing Syrian refugees and others fleeing terrorism from entering the U.S. after they have completed the screening process.

Since Oct. 1 as many as 199 Syrians are supposed to resettle in the state, according to the Kentucky Office for Refugees.

What to do with those fleeing that region has touched a national nerve since the Paris attacks and was sparked by governors such as Indiana's Mike Pence, who voiced safety concerns that terrorists might be among those seeking asylum.

The House approved a bill Thursday to halt Syrian and Iraqi refugees from coming by a 289-137 vote, with almost four dozen Democrats joining Republicans. Lawmakers behind the measure say there should be a moratorium on accepting more refugees until federal security agencies certify that none of them are a threat.

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Fischer said on Sunday he understands people’s safety concerns, adding that they "must be addressed while we hold true to our American value of welcoming the persecuted and our city value of compassion."

The rally is scheduled for 6 p.m, at Jefferson Square Park, Sixth and Jefferson streets.

Organizers say leading up to the rally local Muslim leaders will be serving food at Wayside Christian Mission at 4:30 p.m.

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Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at (502) 582-4475 or pbailey@courier-journal.com