This week, many of my colleagues and I called upon the governor, as well as the attorney general, to take action regarding the placement of Syrian refugees in our state.

As of Tuesday, 26 state governors have taken a stand to urge the federal government not to accept refugees from Syria, based on security concerns. Several state governors are accepting them, but are asking for a more stringent screening process, and some have remained silent. Missouri’s governor has chosen not to stand in the way of the federal process to place refugees in Missouri.

While the situation in Syria is a tragic example of man’s inhumanity, I am deeply concerned that the influx of refugees will not only put the United States at greater risk of an internal attack, but that there will be other consequences that have yet to be determined. The cost of housing, food, water and other necessities, when we already have countless homeless citizens — thousands of them our own military veterans — bothers me greatly.

I realize that the United States of America has opened its borders to countless people from all nations and walks of life over the years. This is why many refer to the U.S. as a ‘melting pot’. However, based on an ever-changing atmosphere of malice, and the rapid growth of terrorist factions from all corners of the world, it is time to reassess that position in the global climate. We simply must protect our families, our children and our way of life above all. This is why I placed my name on the list of legislators calling for action to suspend the relocation process at this time.

As always, I’m happy to hear questions and comments from constituents regarding this or other issues in the Missouri Legislature, and I can be reached by calling my Capitol office at 573-751-5713 or by e-mailing me at dan.brown@senate.mo.gov.

Thank you for reading this and for your participation in state government.