Sen. Tom Cotton Says U.S. Has 'Moral Imperative' to Help Christians and Other Minorities Targeted by ISIS
- Updated Mar 23, 2016
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arizona has proposed a new bill which would make it easier for Christians and other minorities fleeing from ISIS to find sanction in the U.S.
ThinkProgress.com reports that in an interview with radio host Kevin Miller on Tuesday, Cotton extended his thoughts and prayers to those in Brussels dealing with the tragic terror attacks there on Monday and spoke about his Religious Persecution Relief Act.
Cotton said that ISIS’ continued threat in the Middle East, Europe, and around the world highlights the need to help those affected by the violence.
Cotton referred to Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent declaration that ISIS is carrying out genocide against Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities.
Although Cotton has opposed the Obama Administration’s previous efforts to welcome refugees, including supporting a bill which aimed to halt the influx of Middle Eastern refugees into the U.S., he believes the U.S. has a “moral imperative” to help those who are being singled out and persecuted for their faith.
“I think the U.S. has a moral imperative to try and save these Christians and the other small minority groups,” he said. “So I would create a special kind of visa program that wouldn’t take any access away from anyone else in the United States, but would recognize that Christians — like Jews in the Soviet Union — are being singled out for persecution and elimination. That’s in our interest, as it is in combating the Islamic State.”
According to Cotton's website, the new bill would "set aside 10,000 resettlement slots annually that must be devoted to Syrian religious minorities" who are seeking sanction in the U.S.
Publication date: March 23, 2016
