Texas clashes with refugee agency over Syrians

Traylor’s warning is part of state efforts to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Texas.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which is making these threats, has contracts with federal and state government.

Of Syrians surveyed in their homeland who said they wanted to move, a mere 6 percent chose the United States and Canada as their desired location, according to the poll by Gallup, a global polling and research firm based in Washington, D.C.

And yet, more are being resettled in Texas.

A mural in Detroit, Michigan, welcome refugees to a blighted area near downtown, November 17, but officials in Texas are less keen to accept refugees from the civil war to their state.

Faez, a Syrian refugee who spoke some English, confirmed to the Star-Telegram that family members who are in Jordan are scheduled to arrive in Texas this week. An apartment awaits them. Kirk brandishing his national security hawk credentials could also be helpful in fundraising among Republicans who are not jazzed on his positions on other items, such as some hot-button social issues.

In a letter to the International Rescue Committee, Chris Traylor made it glaringly clear that Syrian refugees are not welcome in Texas- and that the IRC, an institution that is helping them, will be sued. President Hollande certainly understands that to let ISIS’ actions change France’s policies and culture would be extremely short-sighted and exactly what ISIS wants; he also appreciates that while the attack in Paris garnered lots of media attention, ISIS has actually consistently suffered battlefield failures in Western Iraq and Syria over the previous year. Funds to provide housing, clothing, and other assistance are distributed jointly by state and federal offices through contracts with partners such as IRC. States that defy the law could face suspension or termination of their refugee resettlement programs, according to a letter signed by Robert Carey, director of the office.

A spokeswoman for the IRC said on Tuesday in an email to Reuters that the relief agency will continue its work despite Taylor’s letter.

Texas has been incredibly generous.

GOP leaders like House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) have signaled that they are considering placing a bill in the omnibus measure that would tighten screening of refugees from countries with significant jihadist movements.

The International Rescue Committee said in a written statement Monday that it welcomes the opportunity to meet with Abbott.

Omar Jadwat, a senior attorney at ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, says the state can not legally close its borders and bar Syrian refugees.

“I think it’s better than 50-50 that we’re going to get one”, Norman Ornstein, a centrist scholar on politics and Congress at the American Enterprise Institute said of a shutdown.

But the federal government has a reputation for bypassing the states by working directly with private organizations. Since the conflict in Syria began in March 2011, the USA has resettled fewer than 2,500 Syrian refugees.

“There’s two things: one is that we need to have confidence in our government, that the screening process is effective”, he said. “We continue to do some resettlement, but the cases are largely family reunifications”. Oh, really? There is an ongoing debate about just how well we are able to vet refugees.