Groups denounce Tennessee lawmaker's call to round up Syrian refugees

House majority leader Glen Casada

NASHVILLE - A top Republican lawmaker's call for the Tennessee National Guard to round up Syrian refugees and block new ones from entering the state has generated a firestorm of criticism from immigration rights groups and Democrats.

But fellow Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who earlier this week asked the Obama administration to suspend placement of Syrian refugees pending better cooperation with federal officials over screening, took issue with House GOP Caucus Chairman Glen Casada's comments.

"Let me be clear," Haslam warned Wednesday in a statement regarding Casada's remarks. "We must not lose ourselves in the process."

Haslam added, "If we abandon our values by completely shutting our doors to those who seek the freedom we enjoy or mistreating our neighbors who made it here after enduring unimaginable hardships, the terrorists win."

In a news conference earlier Wednesday, Casada defended his remarks, first reported by The Tennessean, and portrayed himself as a modern-day Paul Revere simply "sounding the alarm."

"Terrorists are here. What do we do?" he said.

"I'm concerned about protecting Tennessee lives and preventing another Paris, another Chattanooga," Casada said, alluding to coordinated Islamic State attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead Friday and the July 16 shooting rampage in Chattanooga in which five servicemen were gunned down by 24-year-old Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez.

The FBI has characterized the Kuwait-born Abdulazeez, who grew up in Chattanooga, as a "violent homegrown extremist," but won't call him a terrorist.

Casada said the Islamic State itself says it is sending its "soldiers" into Europe and the U.S. And he said FBI Director James Comey has acknowledged the United States' screening process on refugees has problems.

Comey recently told the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee that there are "gaps" in security screenings for Syrian refugees, given the unsettled situation in the war-torn nation. French police found an apparently fake Syrian passport among terrorists who died in the Paris attacks. Officials said the man entered Europe through Greece.

Casada, R-Franklin, denied that he was calling for the estimated 42 Syrian refugees now in Tennessee to be placed in internment camps. Rather, Casada said, he wants U.S. immigration officials to come and take them to another state for revetting.

Asked whether some of what he is calling for violates protections in the U.S. Constitution, Casada said, "You have to ask yourself, which is greater - life or due process?"

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee and the Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition denounced Casada's remarks, calling them "reprehensible." And they also charge "opportunistic politicians" in Tennessee, including Casada, have triggered a "xenophobic race to the bottom." Casada is taking "this dangerous rhetoric to a new low," the refugee rights group said.

Casada accused them and Democrats of losing sight of dangers trying to be "politically correct."

Later in the day, House Democrats held a news conference where a sometimes emotional Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said, "This unethical and irresponsible proposal to utilize military personnel to round up men, women and children should serve to truly shock our state's collective conscience."

Casada also caught the attention of Marie Harf, a press aide to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. She tweeted, "This is shameful - Tennessee GOP leader wants National Guard to round up Syrian refugees already in their state."

Legislative Republicans, meanwhile, intend to hold hearings next week on security issues related to immigrants.

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com, 615-255-0550 or via twitter at AndySher1.