With conflict continuously raging in the Middle East, American citizens must currently ask themselves what to do in regards to the millions of refugees flooding out of the region, many from Syria.

According to CNN, 31 U.S. governors, all but one Republican, oppose the entrance of Syrian refugees, reasoning that such an exclusion would lessen the risk of security threats and terrorist attacks, such as the deadly November attacks in Paris and Lebanon. On the other side of the issue, the Obama administration remains in favor of allowing refugees into the country, hoping to admit thousands of more refugees this fiscal year and outlining extensive screening processes for refugees to try to minimize the chances of letting terrorists into the country. 

Many students at ERHS agree that we should allow Syrian refugees into the U.S.

“They’re being bombed and killed everyday, and we should help them,” sophomore Shamis Hired said in reference to the Syrian refugees. She also stated that it angers her, as a Muslim herself, that many Americans were hesitant to allow Syrians in because “many believe [all]  Muslims are terrorists.”

“ISIS is just using Islam to get their message across, but Islam is not about violence. It literally translates to peace; we’re peaceful people. Islam teaches to love everyone and to be respectful towards people, and does not condone killing and violence,” Hired explained. 

“Coming from a family that came here as refugees and had to fight for their life and wait in fear of not being allowed into the country, I believe everyone should have that choice,” junior Kyra Chambers said. “The people living in Syria are living in fear of being killed, and block[ing] them out of the country will only create hate for the United States.”

Some students, however, disagree with allowing Syrians into our country.

Senior Tyler Brown said that we should not let Syrian refugees in, “because there’s no way to tell who’s here for safety and who’s here to inflict harm and danger in America.”

“Also,” continued Brown, “it would be too hard to pick out who’s not a threat and who isn’t, so to avoid the whole situation, we should just keep everyone out.”

There are many risks associated with the entry of Syrians into our country. For one thing, our country’s national security could very possibly be threatened by ISIS, especially after the release of a video that stated ISIS’s next target would be the United States if we continue to interfere with their affairs. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the economic, political, and social ramifications of allowing Syrians to settle in our country. Many argue that allowing such a large influx of people would create an economic boom, while others argue it would create a bust. Many also argue that the intermixing of Syrian people with Americans might be problematic, considering the preconception many Americans have of Muslims and the Syrian people.

While there are many cons to the issue, there are also many pros. Many of the Syrian people are living in a war zone, and many Syrians are living in areas that don’t have access to aid groups because the territory is too dangerous to cross. Their infrastructures are down, and the economy has collapsed. Children are physically and psychologically damaged by the events they’ve witnessed, and the deaths they’ve encountered. By allowing Syrian refugees in, they can hopefully be shielded from the terrors of war, and be given a chance to have a better life. 

One common suggestion of students was background checks.

“There needs to be some type of protection from the terrorist attacks,” sophomore Tori Stanley stated. “There needs to be better background checks on the people that claim to be refugees.”

Freshman Tai Savage expressed agreement. “We’re already at risk as it is because of ISIS, but [the refugees] deserve to have somewhere they can go,” Savage said. “Maybe if we have background checks, that could solve both problems.”