ACLU Sues Gov. Pence Over Refugees

Falk added that he expects similar lawsuits to be filed against some of more than two-dozen states – most with Republican governors, like Pence – that have taken actions similar to Indiana’s in suspending programs to resettle Syrian refugees.

The American Civil Liberties Union IN is suing the governor, after his order to refuse Syrian refugees arriving IN his state over security concerns.

The suit claims that Pence’s actions are in violation of both the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constituion and TItle VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act because the state continues to allow the settlement of other refugees but, specifically, not those of Syrian origin.

Pence and a state agency have already turned away families set to be resettled in Indiana. John Wernert, the state’s Family and Social Services Adminsitration secretary, is also named as defendant in the lawsuit.

Gov. Bill Haslam says fears about terrorists settling in Tennessee while posing as refugees from the fighting in Syria have reached new heights following the attacks in Paris.

Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration reports that only 40 individuals from Syria have been placed in the state over the last five years. That funding is used for resources such as English language education, job training, SNAP benefits and other services.

“Effective immediately, I am directing all state agencies to suspend the resettlement of additional Syrian refugees in the state of in pending assurances from the federal government that proper security measures have been achieved”, he said.

Miller says the agency will defy the governor.

Carleen Miller, Exodus Refugee’s executive director, said the group is projected to settle about 19 Syrians vetted by the federal government within the coming months.

“There is no border around the state of IN that prevents people from entering our state who may move freely within the United States”, said ACLU of IN legal director Ken Falk.

Mike Pence is one of 31 governors who took action.

The US has resettled about 1,800 refugees from Syria so far in 2015, according to the State Department.

The U.S. House of Representatives, including most of Indiana’s federal lawmakers, voted last week to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the country until they undergo a vetting process that’s more rigorous than any foreigners seeking admission to the US have to go through.