Rand: ‘I Would Be Very, Very Careful’ With Refugees

Kentucky Senator and Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul stated he “would be very, very careful” in handling refugees from Africa and the Middle East on Thursday’s “Hannity” on the Fox News Channel.

Rand said, “You know, I’m all for helping those who are in desperate need, in fact, I’ve been trying to support Glenn Beck’s thing, Project Nazarene, to help Christians out the Middle East. But the thing is, is that, we do have to be careful. I read the newspaper, one young man that had just left Afghanistan within the last few weeks, he was 19 years old, and all he had for identification was political asylum from Hungary, no preceding documents, no passport, and this a — while it’s a terrible humanitarian crisis. It’s also a recipe for disaster if tens of thousands of people who want to attack us –.”

After host Sean Hannity cut in to ask if he would allow refugees into the US, Rand answered, “I would be very, very careful. Even of the 60,000 Iraqis that came over after the war, some of them, even in my little town, Bowling Green, Kentucky, have tried to attack us. So, I think we have to be very, very careful. And, in some ways, we have to try to not create, or be part of such a mess, that allows disaster and famine to continue over there.”

Rand began by criticizing fellow candidate Donald Trump, stating, “I got involved in politics through the Tea Party, and we were upset about fake conservatives, Republicans who said they were conservative, but then really weren’t so. One of the big issues back then was the bank bailouts and the government stimulus. Well, Trump was for both of them. And Trump has been for raising for taxes. Trump has been for using eminent domain to take property owners, to give it to big business.” And “That he has been for a single-payer healthcare system, like Obamacare. That he’s been for abortion before he was against it.” Rand added that “I really have no idea what he believes, because he’s been on both sides of every issue. As an adult, most of his adult life, he’s been a progressive Democrat. He has had a realization that he has a better chance in the Republican Party, so I believe he’s pretending to be conservative, because of this sort of desire to be all things Trump, all things to all people. But I don’t believe it’s genuine or sincere.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett