The Obama administration is telling a federal judge that officials in Texas haven’t shown that there’s any threat posed by Syrian refugees who are attempting to resettle in the state. Court filings indicate the refugees are due to arrive Monday. Professor Geoffrey Hoffman, director of the immigration clinic at the University of Houston, said “the state’s attempt to prevent or block Syrian refugees could reasonably be interpreted as an attempt to interfere with the federal executive power to regulate and enforce immigration”. Championed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas had even ordered non-profit organizations that work with refugees to stop helping those from Syria.
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Friday’s legal wrangling began when U.S. Justice Department lawyers filed a brief asking Godbey to dismiss Paxton’s lawsuit, arguing that Abbott and other state officials lacked the authority to intervene.
Paxton withdrew the lawsuit on Friday saying that it was successful in gathering “requested information” about the refugees.
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.
New York City is taking on Syrian refugees, being turned away from Texas. Durvin said she then again provided information after receiving two letters from the state last month.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton contends the federal government and the non profit groups in charge of bringing the refugees are not providing enough information about them. The family’s expected home is a few miles from the complex where a Liberian man lived previous year before being hospitalized for Ebola.
