By Sam Wroblewski 630wpro.com
Central Falls Mayor James Diossa joined 17 mayors from various U.S. cities over the weekend by personally asking President Barack Obama to send Syrian refugees to their cities. According to the Huffington Post, Central Falls is the lone Rhode Island city whose mayor has made the offer.
“You see the conditions and everything that is happening over in Syria is very scary,” Diossa told WPRO’s Tara Granahan during an interview on Monday. “Seeing people suffer the way they are in Syria, I think it’s important to reach out.”
LISTEN: To Tara Granahan’s interview
But when asked how his city would pay for Syrian refugees and their families, Diossa said he hasn’t had a financial discussion with the White House.
“The Obama administration has informed communities that they are going to be putting a plan together,” he said.
He said he knows some families in Central Falls would be willing to host refugees in their homes if they were asked.
The mayor said he believes the United States has a reputation to uphold as the greatest country in the world, and believes the country can do so by helping the refugees. Diossa said Central Falls has many immigrant families that have moved there and lead successful lives.
