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Connecticut Community Leaders Address Refugee Crisis and Resettlement

Dominic Chavez
/
World Bank

In a 289 to 137 vote last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would tighten the vetting process for refugees from Syria and Iraq. The measure passed despite a veto threat from President Barack Obama -- a threat Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan says "baffles" him.

This hour, we take a closer look at the ongoing debate over refugee resettlement. We also consider Connecticut's role in helping those displaced by conflict.

GUESTS:

  • Lucy Nalpathanchil - WNPR host and reporter
  • Dr. Saud Anwar - South Windsor town council member; Connecticut's first Muslim mayor 
  • Mark Boughton - Mayor of Danbury, Connecticut
  • Nour Alfares - Syrian refugee and medical case manager at Catholic Charities
  • Mongi Dhaouadi - Executive director of the Connecticut chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations
  • Rev. Julia Burkey - Minister at First Church in Middletown, Connecticut, United Church of Christ

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

John Dankosky and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.