Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has had a change of heart regarding Syrian refugees. He says he no longer opposes their resettlement in the volunteer state.
Haslam told the USA Today Network that he’s okay with the re-settlement of Syrians fleeing their war-torn country. The Republican governor said he met recently with officials at the State Department and believes the right controls are in place for vetting the refugees.
Haslam’s stance has changed since earlier this year when he agreed to let the state sue the federal government over refugee re-settlement. Tennessee’s attorney general declined to file the lawsuit, acknowledging the state was unlikely to succeed.
More than 10,000 Syrian refugees have come to the U.S. this year. More than 200 have settled in Tennessee, primarily in Nashville.
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