Syracuse’s Mayor, Stephanie Miner, is one of 17 other mayors in the United States, currently fighting for more Syrian refugees to be accepted within the United States this year. These mayors are the few that are not changing their stance on accepting Syrian refugees after the recent terrorist attacks that have been occurring. They all claim that just because the refugees are Syrian, does not mean that they all have ties with the terrorists, and we must not be influenced out of fear. The number of refugees that are presently allowed into the United States, within the next two years, ruled by President Barack Obama, is that of 10,000.

Syracuse is one of the few cities that is welcoming Syrian refugees into its region, with the help of organizations; Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and Interfaith Works CNY, who assist in resettling refugees among the area. Next year, it is estimated that around 1,100 more refugees will populate Syracuse, 60 to 75 of these being Syrian refugees. However, security precautions are reaching their maximum because the process for refugees to be accepted into one of these programs is not considered easy. All refugees must undergo thirteen different and intense screenings to ensure that they are not associated with any terrorist group and are of no threat to the United States, or its people. Once admitted into one of these organizations, the refugees are educated and prepared to enter the world in the United States, where they will one day be able to make a living for themselves. They are provided with English classes, and given several other services that help them in their adjustment to the world of the United States. In total, around sixty-percent of the refugees helped by Catholic Charities of Onondaga County traveled alone to the United States in search of refuge, knowing no one here. Therefore, they may experience difficulty because they have no one to help them obtain a job through personal connections, nor do they have a friend’s house to stay at while they become stable on their own. Other refugees have voiced their difficulty when it comes to receiving transportation to a job, since it is not easily accessible in every part of town. Nonetheless, the Catholic Charities offer further assistance by providing a five week course that is designated to teaching refugees the skills that are necessary to work in the foodservice industry, since this is an industry that many refugees are found to work in. Through all of its efforts, Syracuse is helping to improve the lives of Syrian refugees, something that several other cities in the United States are not willing to do.