Almost 20 percent of the 4,600 Syrian refugees already brought to the United States are settled in the New York-New Jersey area, according to the Washington Examiner.
The area comes into limelight in the backdrop of reported weekend bombings which some believe "could be a dry run of future terror attacks."
As many as 805 Syrians have been placed in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, according to the State Department figures covering 2011-May 2016.
The breakdown:
- New York: 165
- New Jersey: 158
- Connecticut: 118
- Pennsylvania: 364
The numbers are not inclusive of the new Syrian refugees who were brought to the U.S. this year, after President Barack Obama's orders.
Dreading terrorist activities, several governors have refused refugees in the past, pointing towards flaws in United Nations' vetting process allowing entry to refugees. Reports also point towards the Islamic State militant infiltration as refugees.
Obama will be heading to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly as president for the last time while the Leaders' Summit on the Global Refugee Crisis takes place Tuesday.
Encouraging United States to accept 110,000 more refugees, including Syrians, and urging other countries to offer international aid to refugees tops his agenda, The Hill reports.
Earlier this year, the State Department released statistics on Syrian settlement where Michigan topped the list, because of its existing community. According to the report, none settled in Washington, D.C.