new haven, conn.<u+2014>connecticut gov. dannel malloy said tuesday he would oppose any action by president-elect donald trump that would bar muslim refugees from coming to his state. mr. malloy has made accepting syrian refugees a priority for his administration . some 339 syrian refugees have settled in connecticut in 2016, according to the u.s. state department. <u+201c>i would fight any attempt to limit refugees being given status based on religion,<u+201d> mr. malloy, a democrat, said. <u+201c>i<u+2019>m hopeful that the rhetoric from the campaign will give way to a sensible approach to honoring our long-term international commitments.<u+201d> the trump transition team didn<u+2019>t respond to a request for comment. mr. malloy made his comments at an event at the jewish community center of greater new haven where syrian families also spoke. one syrian refugee, who lives in new haven with his pregnant wife and six children, said he is grateful for the chance to build a home in the u.s. he and his family arrived in connecticut three months ago and he is now taking english classes. the refugee said he is familiar with mr. trump<u+2019>s statements and but so far isn<u+2019>t too concerned for his family. <u+201c>i feel comfortable,<u+201d> he said. <u+201c>people didn<u+2019>t change their behavior toward us<u+201d> after the election. karen foster, assistant refugee resettlement coordinator for danbury area refugee assistance, a nonprofit organization, recently began helping syrian families in connecticut. <u+201c>we have spoken to them about the election<u+2026>to let them know that they are safe,<u+201d> ms. foster said. <u+201c>they can<u+2019>t be sent back. they are legal here. they are legal residents and they are authorized to work.<u+201d> during his remarks, mr. malloy also revisited a public spat that he had in 2015 with mike pence, then governor of indiana and now the vice president-elect. following the terrorist attacks in paris last fall, several governors across the u.s. said they would no longer accept syrian refugees. mr. malloy, however, said connecticut would continue to welcome them. mr. pence opposed a plan to relocate a family to indiana, and that family was diverted to connecticut. mr. malloy later greeted the family when they came to new haven. <u+201c>i<u+2019>m sure if vice president-elect pence was here today, he would tell you what he did in indiana was a mistake,<u+201d> mr. malloy said. the trump transition team didn<u+2019>t respond to a request for comment on mr. malloy<u+2019>s remark. mr. malloy also said <u+201c>it would be a tragic mistake<u+201d> if mr. trump opts to start a registry for immigrants from predominantly muslim countries. <u+201c>the idea that we would require any jew, any christian, any buddhist, any muslim to be on a list based on their religion is a direct conflict with the constitution of the united states,<u+201d> mr. malloy said. write to joseph de avila at joseph.deavila@wsj.com
connecticut will protect muslim refugees, gov. dannel malloy says - wsj
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