Not so: Donald Trump’s claim that Barack Obama plans to import 250,000 Syrian refugees
Donald Trump, the hard-charging businessman who leads voter polls for the Republican presidential nomination, recently kicked off a rally in Beaumont with a moment of silence for the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks that left at least 129 dead.
In the aftermath of the attacks, conflicting reports on the citizenship status of the perpetrators led 30 state governors and most of the Republican presidential candidates, including Trump, to speak out against Syrian refugees entering the United States. Trump began his Nov. 14 speech at Beaumont’s Ford Park Arena by calling the events in Paris the night before “terrible.”
He went on to say, “And when you look at what happened in that case, it’s just reported, one from Syria. And our president wants to take in 250,000 from Syria,” citing one of the Paris attacker’s alleged Syrian nationality.
Did Trump accurately recap President Barack Obama’s plans?
Light a match; neither the administration or other authoritative sources had said as much before Trump stumped in Beaumont. If existing plans hold, Syrian refugees settling here will increase through 2017, but the bump up will be nothing close to 250,000. The administration has plans to increase refugees admitted from all countries from 70,000 in 2015 to 100,000 in 2017. Trump’s claim was rated Pants on Fire.
