Thanksgiving Day: Obama urges Americans to show generosity to Syrian refugees

The president spoke amid a heated political debate that has raged since the Paris attacks

Obama has said the US will take 10,000 refugees this year (Reuters)

President Barack Obama urged Americans to show generosity to Syrian refugees in his Thanksgiving message - reminding them that the Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were themselves fleeing persecution.

Further embedding himself in a controversy that has gripped political debate in the US since the Paris attacks, Mr Obama those first European settlers to the US were seeking seeking similar things to the current refugees.

"Thanksgiving is a day for food and football, and for hoping the turkey didn't turn out too dry. But it's also a day to count our blessings and give back to others - a reminder that no matter our circumstances, all of us have something to be grateful for," he said.

“Nearly four centuries after the Mayflower set sail, the world is still full of pilgrims - men and women who want nothing more than the chance for a safer, better future for themselves and their families."

Mr Obama has said he wants to settle 10,000 refugees within the coming year after the individuals undergo 18 months of screening. The figure has been criticised by refugee activists who point out that countries such as France and Germany are settling far greater numbers.

But Mr Obama’s even modest proposal has become a lightening rod for criticism, with many Republican presidential candidates condemning his plan. The governors of more than 30 states, most but not all of the Republican, have said the refugees are not welcome there and that they will do all they an to oppose their settlement.

Obama said the original Pilgrims wanted the same things as Syrian refugees (Wikicommons)

The US House of Representatives last week passed a bill to suspend the refugee plan and intensify refugee screening measures before their settlement. Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, has called for surveillance of mosques in the aftermath of the attacks in France that left more than 130 dead.

“People should remember that no refugee can enter our borders until they undergo the highest security checks of anyone traveling to the United States,” Mr Obama said.

Mr Obama has vowed to veto the House refugee bill. But the White House has said it is open to working with politicians in the Congress to ensure tighter security measures for visitors from 38 countries who do not need a visa for short visits to the United States.

In his address, Obama quoted from letters he had received from Americans welcoming Syrian refugees.

“One woman from Pennsylvania wrote me to say, ‘Money is tight for us in my household ... But I have a guest room. I have a pantry full of food. We can do this’,” Mr Obama.

“Another woman from Florida told me her family's history dates back to the Mayflower - and she said that welcoming others is part of 'what it means to be an American’.”