Then nine more Syrians are headed for Texas on Thursday, including six more children.
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State officials have expressed fear of terrorism in their objection to taking in more Syrian refugees, but representatives of the IRC and other charitable organizations involved with refugees say the screening process used by the United States is stringent and that it is highly unlikely any terrorists would get through it. They say the Syrian refugees are men, women and children fleeing violence and hardship.
After the federal response was filed, the state filed motion to withdraw its request for an injunction.
Legal experts say it’s unlikely Texas will prevail in its lawsuit.
Texas State Health and Human Services Commission head Chris Traylor wrote to the U.S. State Department and the IRC in Dallas that Abbott wanted his security concerns “appropriately addressed”, including all case information about the Syrians scheduled to resettle in Texas over the next three months.
“All they’re asking for is safety”, said Lucy Carrigan, spokeswoman for the nonprofit International Rescue Committee, which is coordinating the Dallas resettlements. In 2014, President Barack Obama granted a waiver for Syrian refugees who had provided material support to terrorists if that support was insignificant and the refugees pass background and security checks to verify that they pose no danger.
The state has asked for a December 9 court date for a separate injunction to halt Syrian resettlement.
By the end of the week, 21 additional Syrian refugees should be resettled in the state since the controversy broke out.
In Friday’s filing, the US government lawyers said two different six-person Syrian refugee families had arrived in NY this week. “If families come from NY we can’t stop them from coming to Texas”.
Texas had sued the federal government to prevent Syrian refugees from staying there following the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The office of Texas attorney general Ken Paxton has asked a federal judge for a temporary restraining order to block the resettlement of the Syrian family.
Texas claims the USA government failed to adequately consult with the state about refugee resettlement.
On Friday afternoon, Texas attorneys withdrew their request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked Syrian refugees from moving into the state until next Wednesday.
The refugees coming to Dallas include two children ages 3 and 6; their parents and grandparents.
Paxton, however, isn’t entirely dropping the lawsuit. He still wants a federal judge next week to make the Obama administration provide assurances that the state will be consulted on future refugees.
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Since fiscal year 2011, 243 Syrian refugees have resettled in Texas, the US filing said, making the state one of the main USA relocation sites since the Syrian civil war erupted about four years ago.
