The Latest: Group expects to settle Syrians in SC next year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The latest on Gov. Nikki Haley’s stance on refugees coming to South Carolina (all times local):

9 p.m.

One of the two Christian relief organizations bringing refugees to South Carolina says it expects to resettle Syrians in Columbia next year.

Representatives of both World Relief and the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service say they have not settled any Syrians in South Carolina yet. But the Lutheran group says that’s likely to change in 2016.

Miji Bell says there’s an intensive vetting process for asylum seekers. She says the process takes an average of two years for those granted asylum from Syria.

Republican legislators called on Gov. Nikki Haley on Monday to oppose all international refugees coming to the state.

The Republican governor says she still supports allowing persecuted immigrants to come to South Carolina — as long as they’re not from Syria.

After talking to federal officials Monday, she sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that no Syrians be settled in the state.

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3 p.m.

Gov. Nikki Haley says she’s re-evaluating international refugee programs in light of the terrorist attacks in Paris but continues to support allowing the persecuted to come to South Carolina.

State Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler is among Republican legislators calling on Haley to end her support. Peeler says South Carolina can’t take any chances on an “oops moment” in vetting asylum seekers.

But Haley says as long as nothing’s changed in who’s being resettled in the state, neither will her stance. She says no Syrians have been brought to South Carolina. She says refugees being brought from other nations have been persecuted for being Christians, for their political views or because they were interpreters for American military personnel.

Refugees resettled in South Carolina are brought by two Christian relief organizations.