“Though we anticipate New York City will only be a temporary home for these families while the state of Texas pursues a baseless attempt to resist their resettlement in the state, we welcome them with open arms to the city of immigrants”, he said.
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The Syrian family of six is scheduled to arrive in Dallas on Monday, the brief said.
On Dec. 10, a Syrian family of eight, including six children, is scheduled to be resettled in Houston, in addition to a 26-year-old woman whose mother already resides in the area.
After the feds announced the arrival of the families, Texas withdrew its request to block the families’ arrival.
He said in a statement the federal government and the International Rescue Committee have to consult with Texas before resettling more in the state.
“Plaintiff has made no showing that these refugees pose any threat, much less an imminent one, to the safety or security of Texas residents or any other Americans”, the brief said. The Obama administration also said the state had “speculative and uninformed fears about security”.
But it’s worth flagging a different suit by Texas against the federal government, filed late Wednesday, that seeks an injunction barring the resettlement of Syrian refugees into Texas-on the ground that such resettlement would violate 8 U.S.C. § 1522, a provision that appears to require the federal government to engage in at least some consultation with states on refugee resettlement matters.
The federal government is now asking the courts to deny the restraining order, arguing that Texas is demanding “an unwarranted veto power” over federal decisions about refugee resettlement.
“Our state will continue legal proceedings to ensure we get the information necessary to adequately protect the safety of Texas residents”, Paxton said.
Texas is just one of dozens of states that vowed not to take in any more Syrian refugees after the attacks in Paris.
The six refugees flew into NY last night, and it’s unclear whether they will continue on to Dallas as planned.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the state was satisfied with the federal government’s assurances of cooperation and information sharing about refugees who would be sent to the state.
The International Rescue Committee is not supervising all the refugee placements, but it was not immediately clear what other aid groups were involved.
Texas has led the nation in recent years in the resettlement of refugees, surpassing California.
The government is obligated to consult with states about process, procedures and the overall distribution of refugees around the country – but that doesn’t mean a consultation about every individual refugee, the Department of Justice says.
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As for the third family and the single woman, the federal government told the judge that there is “no reason to believe that these nine refugees have received material-support waivers”. Details about the refugees were closely guarded by resettlement organizers over safety concerns.
