American sculptor Diana al-Hadid was born in Aleppo, Syria. (BBC.COM)
The terror attacks in Paris sparked a heated debate on the U.S. policy for taking in Syrian refugees — and the House on Thursday passed a bill to pause plans to bring in thousands fleeing the war-torn country over the next year.
The lawmakers (242 Republicans and 47 Democrats) who pushed the bill argued that welcoming refugees comes with too much risk that terrorists will sneak across the borders.
But Syrians have a long history of immigrating in the United States. And many famous figures have roots in the Middle Eastern country.
Here are some of the most notable:
Diana Al-Hadid
Al-Hadid is a contemporary artist who is best known for her sculpture work.
She immigrated to Canton, Ohio, from Aleppo with her family when she was five.