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Malloy Welcomes Syrian Family Diverted From Indiana To Connecticut

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — The state of Connecticut is welcoming a Syrian family on Wednesday who were diverted from Indiana after officials there objected to the resettlement of refugees from the war-torn region, NBC Connecticut reported

Gov. Dannel Malloy

Gov. Dannel Malloy

Photo Credit: Jay Polansky, File

Gov. Dannel Malloy held a news conference Wednesday in New Haven, saying he has welcomed the family and that they are happy to be in a place where the governor wants them, NBC Connecticut said. Malloy has called accepting refugees a humanitarian issue.  

Many states, including Indiana, are objecting to the resettlement of refugees from Syria after the deadly ISIS terror attacks in Paris last week.

In a nonscientific poll in the Daily Voice, a total of 83 percent of respondents said no when asked "Do you support allowing Syrian refugees to relocate into Connecticut?" 

The yes vote came to 10 percent, with 3 percent undecided and 4 percent saying they need to learn more about the issue. (Vote in the poll here in the Daily Voice.)

"Obviously in light of the tragedy in Paris, we have questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s screening measures for refugees entering our country," said a statement from Malloy issued Monday. "We are continuing to work with and await guidance from the appropriate federal agencies on screening measures that will be taken.

"With that said, if refugees – many who are children fleeing a horrific, war-torn country – seek and are granted asylum after a rigorous security process, we should and will welcome them in Connecticut,” said the emailed statement.

The family of three headed for Connecticut has been waiting since 2012 to be resettled in the U.S.

The Refugee Processing Center told NBC that 42 refugees from Syria now call Connecticut home, with 19 settling in New Haven, 13 in Hartford, four in West Haven and three in Bristol, with no hometown given for three.

President Barack Obama has said he working to relocate 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States. U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have said they support those efforts and have called for even more refugees to be allowed into the U.S.

Read the full story here at the NBC Connecticut website.

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