The Texas Health and Human Services Commission sued the US government and the relief agency this week to block refugee resettlement in the state.
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Paxton sued the federal government and the International Rescue Committee, one of the non-profit groups coordinating the arrival of Syrian refugees in Texas, claiming they hadn’t provided enough information about the refugees.
Six Syrian refugees were expected to resettle in Texas on Friday.
On Friday, Texas state attorneys withdrew their request for a temporary restraining order to keep Syrian refugees from settling in the state.
Friday: Paxton ends bid for an emergency order but says he will press for an injunction requiring the Obama administration and resettlement groups to provide better information on refugees.
“Three families seeking refuge from their warn-torn home in Syria have arrived in NYC”, de Blasio said in a statement on Friday.
“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 plans to resettle the Syrian refugees next week were unveiled in the feds’ response to Texas’ lawsuit. Her group is representing the International Rescue committee, or IRC, in the lawsuit.
Approximately 30 governors from around the nation have joined with Governor Abbott in fighting the federal government who themselves have said they can not legitimately screen these Syrian refugees.
The International Rescue Committee plans to relocate a family of six Syrians to Dallas on December 7 and another family of six Syrians to Houston the same day. “Our state will continue legal proceedings to ensure we get the information necessary to adequately protect the safety of Texas residents”.
“I think it’s very good news for some of the families for whom there was some uncertainty about what would happen next but, of course, we still have a long way to go”, Robertson said.
Texas is dropping immediate efforts to block the arrival of Syrian refugees who are scheduled to resettle in the state next week.
Legal experts were not surprised by the move, since the state has no authority over immigration or refugee resettlement, and the federal government has been informing the state about the refugee vetting process and the resettlement program.
“What the president has been saying is absolutely true, ” said Mark Hetfield president and CEO of HIAS, the American Jewish community’s refugee agency.
Refugee resettlement in the United States is completely funded by the federal government.
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Another Syrian family, which includes four children under the age of 13, is scheduled to resettle in Houston on Monday.
