Vermont Town Debates Welcome for 100 Syrians as Trump Pushes Ban
- Residents of Rutland seek public vote after mayor’s gesture
- ‘I’m glad it’s not me in that situation, but I’m concerned’
A Syrian refugee girl plays outside her home at a tent camp on April 27, 2016, in Izmir, Turkey.
Photographer: Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
In Rutland, Vermont, Independence Day was marked by fireworks, picnics and bitter debate over whether to resist the arrival this fall of 100 Syrian refugees or to welcome the asylum-seekers to America.
Mayor Christopher Louras announced the resettlement in April to the surprise and puzzlement of many residents. It was presented as a fait accompli in a celebratory press conference. And it provoked a backlash.