What's the best waterfront restaurant in Florida? 17 favorites for food, drinks and fun!
FLORIDA

Gov. Rick Scott continues push for Syrians seeking refuge in U.S. to be screened

Arek Sarkissian
Naples Daily News

Gov. Rick Scott delivered fiery words in advance of meeting President Barack Obama Thursday, four days after 49 people were shot dead at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Scott resurrected a request he made to the White House in November after a mass shooting in Paris. He wanted federal authorities to screen Syrians who are seeking refuge in the U.S. from war in their country. Scott's push to vet the refugees was part of his plan to prevent the Islamic State from attacking Florida.

'When are we going to say enough is enough,' Scott said Wednesday. 'We're going to destroy ISIS. We're going to destroy radical Islam.'

Obama was due to arrive at Orlando International Airport this afternoon in Air Force One, with Vice President Joe Biden not far behind in another aircraft. They will be joined by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson. Scott will meet Obama on the tarmac alongside Orlando's Democratic mayor, Buddy Dyer.

Scott's comments about ISIS matched a plan by the Republican presidential candidate he emphatically endorsed in March. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump called for deploying a 'pause' on people trying to enter the U.S. from predominately Muslim countries until stronger immigration policies can be set in place.

Scott's plan takes Trump's one step further by requiring federal authorities to share the information with their state counterparts. The governor in November voiced frustration that federal officials told him they refused to share information of people they planned to screen because of personal privacy concerns.

'This is our country,' Scott said. 'It's a right to come into our country. We've got to vet people and share the information all over the state.'

Scott's call for stricter immigration standards does not completely mesh with the circumstances that led up to the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Omar Mateen, 29, was born in Long Island, New York, and his parents hail from Afghanistan.