Baton Rouge received one Syrian refugee over the summer, a man Catholic Charities helped for a few days before he left to meet family in another state.
Catholic Charities said Tuesday the man is the only Syrian refugee they have helped recently, and Louisiana State Police confirmed he had left Baton Rouge for Washington, D.C.
But the news of that one man set off a flood of phone calls Tuesday to the organization, especially misinformation that made some people believe the man had gone missing, Catholic Charities Executive Director David Aguillard said.
One caller even made several threats while on the phone with Catholic Charities, especially against Syrian refugees. State Police said they are investigating the threats and take them seriously.
A State Department official told WWL-TV that 14 Syrian immigrants had been placed in Louisiana, one in Baton Rouge and the others in Kenner and New Orleans.
“The Syrians that we have resettled in Louisiana are not out wandering willy nilly around the country,” Aguillard said.
Records from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center show six Syrian immigrants arriving in Louisiana, all in New Orleans, since Nov. 1. The records also show the one Syrian refugee who landed in Baton Rouge arrived between June and July.
Catholic Charities officials said the man was by himself, and he stayed for only a few days before leaving to meet with family. But before he left, he had to submit paperwork to the federal government about changing his location, which refugees must do even if they are moving within the same city.