'Dog whistle crap': Gov. Evers fires back at Republicans concerned about Afghan refugees vetting process
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is firing back at Republican lawmakers who are raising concerns over the vetting process of Afghan refugees.
Evers said Republicans are misinformed about how refugees are being identified and added he is confident they are being properly vetted.
"Somehow they are terrorists, even though they've been vetted 4, 5, 6 times even before they left Afghanistan," Evers said. "To me, it's dog whistle crap and we don't need any of that."
The governor's comments come after Wisconsin's Republican Delegation visited Fort McCoy last week where they expressed doubts in the vetting process during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
With U.S. agencies rushing to complete security vetting of thousands of Afghanistan citizens, Senator Ron Johnson and other Republicans fear there's a risk that terrorists and criminals could slip through the process. It's a claim many conservatives have made without evidence.
"When I hear Republicans talk about that, either they are vastly misinformed or they like to raise that specter of maybe some of those little kids that I saw at Fort McCoy are terrorists," Evers said.
As of Friday, officials say 3,000 Afghan refugees are being housed at Fort McCoy.
President Joe Biden has emphasized Afghan refugees will be thoroughly vetted before arriving in the U.S. with biometric and biographic screenings to ensure their identity.
At a DNC press event, @GovEvers says it’s “dog whistle crap” that Republicans are raising concerns about the vetting process of Afghan refugees whom continue to arrive at Fort McCoy. pic.twitter.com/LqTiq64dLN
— Emilee Fannon (@Emilee_Fannon) August 30, 2021
.@GovEvers was joined by other Democrats in Madison to launch a @DNC “Build Back Better” bus tour to highlight President Biden’s ARPA and infrastructure plan. pic.twitter.com/n8EBlfa6b1
— Emilee Fannon (@Emilee_Fannon) August 30, 2021