In the wake of last week's Paris attacks, concerns are growing over President Barack Obama's plan to allow Syrian refugees into the United States next year.
Opposition to the plan increased after it was revealed that at least one suspect in the Paris attacks slipped into Europe posing as a Syrian refugee.
White House officials say other nations are helping the refugees, and the United States cannot turn its back on people in need. They insist security measures are being taken.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo agrees and released a statement saying in part, "rejecting Syrian refugees would be asking to conceding defeat of the American dream."
Allowing Syrian refugees into the United States is quickly becoming a partisan political issue. Governors across the country, mostly Republican, are now opposing the plan saying the safety of the American people has to come first.
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is also skeptical and posted a statement on social media reading in part, "Until the federal government can guarantee the safety and security of the American people, we cannot and should not accept any new refugees from Syria."
People from across the Hudson Valley say they have mixed feelings about the Syrian refugee crisis. "I'm conflicted about it because I'm also concerned about our safety, so it's a very difficult decision," says Kevin Wyatt, of Yonkers.
Authority over the admittance of refugees to the country and placing them in a certain state lies with the federal government, although experts say that individual states have the influence to make the acceptance process much more difficult.
Since 2011, about 1,500 Syrian refugees have been accepted into the U.S.