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Marco Rubio 'Open' To Allowing Some Refugees into U.S.

“I don’t know what the right number is," he told reporters in New Hampshire.
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Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign stop at Robie's Country Store Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Hooksett, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)Jim Cole / AP

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said that he is “open” to allowing a certain number of refugees from the Middle East enter the United States, adding that a concise strategy is needed to deal with radical jihad.

“I don’t know what the right number is, but we want to be careful [that] terrorists don't take advantage of, to infiltrate themselves among the very innocent people that would also be coming,” Rubio told reporters Tuesday after a town hall meeting in Keene, New Hampshire.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been fleeing war-torn areas in the Middle East, with many hoping for refugee status in Europe. Germany alone expects to receive up to 800,000 asylum applications by the end of the year.

On Tuesday, Rubio pushed for the United States to help the European countries currently facing the brunt of the crisis.

“We should be able to offer them them assistance, in creating some places and camps where people can live and be safe while this thing works itself out,” the Florida senator added.