REGION — In the wake of the terror attacks in Paris and the subsequent raids in Europe, politicians on both sides of the aisle are taking stands on whether the United States should halt the process of allowing refugees from Syria, and perhaps other countries with majority Mulsim populations, into the United States.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has said that he will continue to work with the federal government on the process of settling Syrian refugees into the states. In a letter to state lawmakers after the attacks, he wrote, “As millions in Syria face violence, persecution and death, we should continue to help those whom we can while taking care to protect our commonwealth and our country, just as we have done for hundreds of years. To reject only Syrian refugees could embolden the message of those who seek to inspire violence by saying that we, as Americans, do not have compassion or care for specific groups of people in the world facing religious persecution.”

Several members of Congress from Pennsylvania, including Rep. Tom Marino, wrote to Wolf, asking him to halt the program. They wrote, “Given the shocking and depraved nature of the terrorist attacks in Paris, we request that you join the leadership of governors in 27 states and indefinitely suspend efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Pennsylvania until there are verifiable and robust mechanisms in place to properly screen all participants for potential security risks.”

In a statement, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey said those mechanisms already are in place. Casey wrote, “The United States does have a rigorous process for vetting refugee applicants, which includes several in-person interviews by U.S. officials, security checks by multiple agencies, significant documentation and a health screening. Reports have surfaced that one of the violent Islamic extremists who carried out the heinous terrorist attack in Paris entered France by claiming Syrian refugee status.”

Sen. Pat Toomey used the refugee issue in a fundraising email to supporters. The message called for the suspension of allowing Syrian refugees to enter the country, and said that Toomey’s Democratic opponents are “actually lining up in support of President Obama’s misguided and dangerous policy of placing these Syrian refugees in Pennsylvania and across the country.” The message then asks readers to donate to the campaign.

On the other side of the river in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the federal government has the responsibility to ensure that they can effectively screen out possible terrorists when allowing refugees into the country.

In addressing students at Harvard University on November 18, he also said, “The day America says, ‘Close the gate, build the wall,’ then I say take down the Statue of Liberty, because you’ve gone to a different place.”

He said federal authorities have said they have the ability to adequately screen refugees to keep terrorists out of the country.

State Sen. John Bonacic released a statement that said, “I am calling on Gov. Cuomo to join with the governors from 28 states to oppose the relocation of Syrian refugees to New York State until we can ensure, with 100% certainty, that there are no individuals who pose a threat to the safety of New Yorkers among the refugees. We are a state comprised of immigrants from across the globe and that diversity makes our state stronger, but we cannot allow political correctness to put the safety of our families at risk.”

U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson also said the Syrian refugee program should be suspended until more is known about what happened in Paris and “until we can assure the safety and security of our people.”

In Washington, the House passed a resolution that would temporarily suspend the Syrian refugee program, which has so far allowed 2,000 Syrians into the country. Sen. Chuck Schumer responded by introducing a measure that would instead address the 20 million foreign nationals, including some from France and Belgium, who are admitted to the U.S. every year without visas through an agreement with 38 countries.

“We need to have tough screening for every refugee from Syria who is coming into the United States,” Schumer said. “But if a terrorist is going to try to come into this country, they’re much more likely to use loopholes in the visa-waiver program to do it, instead of waiting two years to go through the refugee screening process.”