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Miller Facebook Post Compares Refugees To Rattlesnakes

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via Texas Tribune

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller — no stranger to social media fireworks — appears to be comparing Syrian refugees to venomous rattlesnakes. 

In a post on his campaign Facebook page on Wednesday, the Republican juxtaposed two images: one showing a twisting mass of snakes, the other a crowd of refugees.

“Can you tell me which of these rattlers won't bite you?" Miller's post asked. "Sure some of them won't, but tell me which ones so we can bring them into the house.”

This week, governors across the country, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, said they would work to keep refugees from war-torn Syria from being resettled in their states in light of the Islamic State’s deadly attacks in Paris on Friday. Many other Texas Republicans have shared similar views.

Nearly 4,000 Facebook users had “liked” Miller's post as of Thursday morning, and nearly 5,500 people had shared it.

Representatives from the Agriculture Department said they did not "monitor or maintain this page," and directed The Texas Tribune to the commissioner's campaign. Miller’s political campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Posts from Miller’s Facebook account have stirred controversy in the past, including one appearing to call for the atomic bombing of “the Muslim world.” At the time, a Miller campaign consultant said several people had access to commissioner's account, but he did not reveal who shared the post. The post was later removed. 

The Texas Tribune provided this story.