Republican presidential candidate John Kasich said Sunday that he supports President Barack Obama’s plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States over the next year, adding, “America needs to be part of this solution.”
Responding to a question from host Chris Wallace about Kasich’s stance on the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East, the Ohio governor said he supports President Obama’s plan. He also advocated for an active role providing “logistical support” and humanitarian aid. (RELATED: Obama: US Will Take In 10,000+ Syrian Refugees In Next Year)
“I support that. I think it’s very important that we don’t let anybody infiltrate who’s part of a radical group, but America needs to be part of this solution,” Kasich said on “Fox News Sunday,” referencing President Obama’s plan to bring 10,000 refugees to the U.S. “This is a terrific problem in terms of the flow of humanity.”
“It’s fundamentally a European problem, but I think there’s some things we can do, not — beyond taking some of these people in,” Kasich told Wallace. “As long as we are sure in who they are, I think we can provide some logistical support so people aren’t losing their lives and in addition, maybe some humanitarian aid.”
Kasich also touched on foreign policy, advocating for an “aggressive” approach and strengthening relations with Europe. (RELATED: Kasich: Shutting Down The Government Won’t Stop Planned Parenthood)
“I think we need to look at this, Chris, as an opportunity to try to draw closer to our European friends who we have drifted away from and there’s another lesson,” he added. “When you draw red lines, when you don’t have an aggressive U.S. foreign policy, oftentimes, it’s those confusion and that’s what we are seeing in this case.”
“Finally, I think it’s very important that Europe and western civilization begin to stand up for this fundamental values — they’re primarily Jewish and Christian values — so that when these folks come, that we can have assimilation so they don’t change us but maybe in some ways, we either change them or live peacefully, of course, peacefully with them and we have a full integration,” Kasich said.