Brussels attacks pushing SC Senate vote on Syrian refugee bill

The S.C. State Senate Republicans want to vote on a bill this week to track refugees entering the state and hold sponsors liable for any crimes committed by settlers from terrorist nations.

Opponents filibustered the bill last week, but the attacks by ISIS terrorists in Brussels on Tuesday are expected to speed the process. The attack at an airport and subway station killed at least 31 people and wounded nearly 190, according to news reports.

State Sen. Kevin Bryant, an Anderson Republican who co-sponsored the bill, said S.C. authorities have little or no knowledge about the background of refugees entering the state.

"We're not going to roll out the red carpet for ISIS," he said.

A family of two Syrian refugees resettled in Richland County late last year helped by the Lutheran Services Carolinas. The group has resettled nearly 50 refugees from different countries in the state, according to published reports.

Sen. Kevin Johnsom, a Clarendon Democrat who opposes the bill, said lawmakers should have compassion for refugees fleeing violence in their homelands before making it harder for them to settle in South Carolina. He said refugees would prefer to remain in their countries, but can’t because of violence.

“I think the attacks in Brussels makes the point that I have been trying to make all along,” he said. “We have people in these countries, like Belgium, they’re living in absolute terror and someone has to be concerned about their plight. These people need a safe place to go.”

Johnson said lawmakers favoring the bill have little trust that federal law enforcement and government officials can stop terrorists from entering the state disguised as refugees.

“I have faith in these agencies that they’re going to do all they can,” he said.

If passed, the bill would require:

▪  Refugees provide their address, telephone number, work information and criminal record to the S.C. Department of Social Services within 30 days of arriving in the state.

▪  DSS post the refugee database on its website and share information about refugees with the State Law Enforcement Division.

▪  SLED check that refugees pose no safety risks.

▪  No state or local government money spent to benefit refugees.

Also, sponsors who bring refugees from a country recognized by the federal government as a state sponsor of terrorism could be held liable in civil court for any criminal activity by those refugees.

The Republican-dominated Senate gave the bill priority status by a 32-4 vote last month.

All four “no” votes came from Democrats, but eight Democrats, including Minority Leader Nikki Setzler of Lexington, backed putting the proposal at the top of the Senate calendar. Setzler said he supported debating the bill but would not say how he will vote on the proposal.

Even if it passes the Senate, the bill needs approval from the House before going to Gov. Nikki Haley for her signature.

Haley, a Republican, has expressed her concerns about the lack of vetting of refugees to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and FBI Director James Comey.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Brussels attacks pushing SC Senate vote on Syrian refugee bill."