Colorado and Kansas are two of the most welcoming states toward refugees, according to a new study.
Researchers from the International Rescue Committee combed through tweets from all 50 states looking for positive and negative language regarding refugees. Colorado ranks eighth for having the most positive tweets regarding newcomers fleeing terror and hardship, reports The Gazette. Kansas performed even better, landing at fourth on the list.
This ranking may come as a surprise to some who remember the anti-refugee resolutions enacted last December in parts of Colorado. And Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and members of the state’s Legislature were openly suspicious of refugees.
The study analyzed tweets with related hashtags, such as #openborders and #refugeeswelcome. North Carolina and Wisconsin were found to be the least welcoming, while Washington state was first.