For one Syrian couple living in the Milwaukee area, the rhetoric around the refugee crisis is troubling.
Shamcy Alghazzy left Syria more than 20 years ago to come to Marquette University
"I think by the time I applied and got the student visa, it was about a month," said Alghazzy.
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He is still proud of his days at Marquette, including graduation day in 1995.
Benson: The Syria that you left 20 years ago – far more dangerous today?
Alghazzy: Today, yes it is, and that’s not saying it wasn't dangerous back then.
He understands people’s fear of ISIS, but he says don’t fear the refugees.
"ISIS is not going to wait for a cover of a refugee to infiltrate and commit their crimes," said Alghazzy. "They’ve done it in the past without that cover and they will keep doing it in the future without that cover."
Alghazzy says it can take up to two years for a Syrian refugee to pass security background checks in the US.
His wife Dima says shutting the door on the refugees benefits the terrorists.
"So when we refuse the refugee we kind of play into their hands of President Assad and Daesh – we’re helping them wipe out the population."
Both were looking forward to refugees coming to Wisconsin.
"It was initially good news, and then over the last few days all these hopes and promises were shattered."
But the Alghazzys were happy to hear today French President Hollande say his country was still committed to taking Syrian refugees, despite the Paris attacks.
