WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama appealed anew on Thanksgiving Day for acceptance of Syrian refugees, saying "so much of our greatness comes from our generosity."
In his weekly radio address broadcast Thursday, Obama noted his commitment to accept an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees this year and argued that the policy is in keeping with U.S. tradition.
"Nearly four centuries after the Mayflower set sail, the world is still full of pilgrims," he said, "men and women who want nothing more than the chance for a safer, better future for themselves and their families. What makes America America is that we offer that chance."
He said he has been "touched by the generosity of Americans who've written me letters and emails in recent weeks, offering to open their homes to refugees fleeing the brutality of ISIL [the Islamic State group]."
Obama's plan to receive thousands of additional Syrian refugees has come under heavy criticism in Congress and has become a key part of the 2016 presidential campaign after a series of attacks Nov. 13 on Paris. Some on Capitol Hill, voicing concerns about homeland security, are pressing for legislation further tightening the conditions under which refugees can be admitted.
"Now, people should remember that no refugee can enter our borders until they undergo the highest security checks of anyone traveling to the United States," Obama said. "That was the case before Paris, and it's the case now. And what happened in Paris hasn't stopped Americans from opening their arms anyway."
"We turn Lady Liberty's light to the world and widen our circle of concern to say that all God's children are worthy of our compassion and care," the president said. "That's part of what makes this the greatest country on Earth."
Canada's Liberal government announced Thursday a $75 million contribution to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help fleeing Syrians, fulfilling a campaign promise from its recent federal election.
The contribution includes $7.5 million for the U.N. refugee agency as part of the program to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees in Canada over the next few months.
International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the government will move quickly to disburse the funds.
"We know that Syrian refugees are cutting on meals, taking on debt to meet their basic daily needs and risking their lives to leave Syria," she said. "This funding to UNHCR will help to make these decisions a little less difficult by helping to meet basic needs."
On Wednesday, the Obama administration reminded state officials across the country that states do not have legal authority to refuse to accept Syrian refugees.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement said in a letter to state resettlement officials that states may not deny benefits and services to refugees based on a refugee's country of origin or religious affiliation.
States that do not comply with the requirement would be breaking the law and could be subject to enforcement action, including suspension or termination of the federally funded program, according to the letter, signed by the director of the federal resettlement office, Robert Carey.
The letter came after more than two dozen governors, mostly Republicans, vowed to block efforts to resettle Syrian refugees in their states. The governors said they fear that militants planning a terror attack could enter the country under the guise of seeking refuge from war-torn Syria.
The Obama administration counters that the vetting process is thorough and can take up to two years.
The letter from the federal resettlement office said would-be refugees "are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States." The screening process is "multi-layered and intensive" and involves multiple law enforcement, national security and intelligence agencies across the federal government, the letter said.
A spokesman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees refugee resettlement in the state, said the letter will not change the state's position of blocking Syrian refugees.
The commission will continue to follow the directive of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called for Texas to not participate in the resettlement of Syrian refugees, said Bryan Black, a spokesman for the Texas commission. A spokesman for Abbott declined to comment.
Also Wednesday, federal officials specifically ordered Georgia to process food-stamp applications for Syrian refugees.
Jessica Shahin, associate administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, sent a letter Wednesday to Bobby Cagle, director of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, which administers the food-stamp program in the state.
Gov. Nathan Deal last week issued an order directing state agency heads to prevent the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state.
Subsequently, the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services sent a memo to agency staff members instructing them to not take or process new applications for any benefit assistance for Syrian refugees.
Information for this article was contributed by Matthew Daly, Charmaiine Noronha and staff members of The Associated Press.
A Section on 11/27/2015