When the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organization that helps resettle refugees, indicated that it would continue to work with the federal government and Syrian families, Texas filed a lawsuit against the USA government and the IRC.
Advertisement
The first two families listed didn’t receive a “material support” exemption that had anxious state officials who oppose Syrian refugee resettlement in Texas, the brief said.
Abbott’s order to block Syrian refugees in Texas came shortly after the terrorist attack in Paris.
The six refugees flew into NY last night, and it’s unclear whether they will continue on to Dallas as planned.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who called the International Rescue Committee’s actions “irresponsible”, has also said the agency offered “absolutely no guarantees” about safety ahead of the arrival of the refugees, with the first Syrian family expected to arrive in Dallas this week. They include a single woman hoping to reunite with her mother, who is already in Texas.
Attorneys for the state had argued in their lawsuit that the federal government and the refugee groups left Texas officials “uninformed about refugees that could well pose a security risk to Texans”.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission sued the USA government and the relief agency this week to block refugee resettlement in the state.
The state has asked for a December 9 court date for a separate injunction to halt Syrian resettlement.
Paxton said that, while he remained concerned about the effectiveness of the federal government’s background checks into Syrian refugees, it was important that Texas retain a “seat at the table” when dealing with refugees.
Just hours before the state announced they no longer meant to bar the refugees, the Department of Justice had filed papers in federal court asserting that state lawmakers had no authority to violate the national immigration policy.
The swift reversal diffused a lawsuit the Obama administration criticized as unfounded.
Three Syrian refugee families have arrived in New York City after Texas sued to try to stop their resettlement there.
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.
In its response Friday, the federal government said the state’s argument is “without merit” because it has met those obligations under the Refugee Act of 1980.
In November, the Obama administration railed against the group of states (which now hovers around 30) that said they were unwilling to harbor Syrian refugees, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement sent a letter to states saying they would be breaking the law if they continued to do so.
“The FBI as well as other federal officials have made it clear – they have no ability to ensure the safety and security of the refugees they are admitting into the United States”, Abbott has said.
Advertisement
The lead attorney for the refugee group said his organization was pleased the state withdrew its request.
