Hard-line stances against admitting refugees to the U.S. are a mistake because they hurt law enforcement’s ability to build ties within Muslim communities, says Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The U.S. should not want to send a message that gives any support to terrorists looking to create divisions between the U.S. and Muslims, Clinton told reporters yesterday in Nevada, the Associated Press reports. “That is not smart.” She added, “If you’re in law enforcement, … you want the people in the communities that you are looking to get information from to feel like they want to help you. And if the message from people who are running for president, for example, is that we don’t want to take any Muslims whatsoever, that’s not good for law enforcement.”
Clinton was campaigning amid calls for new restrictions on refugees fleeing war-torn Syria after attacks in Paris that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility. Republican presidential contender Donald Trump pledged over the weekend to be the toughest of all candidates in response to the terror attacks and suggested he would support ways to track Muslims in the U.S.