White House to governors: Syrian relocation will continue

Others agree. “The bottom line is, refugee admission is a federal matter, reflecting our values as a nation”, said Terri Burke, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.

The House stopped short of imposing a religious test for Syrian refugees, but the vote two weeks ago to intensify the screening of Syrians seeking to enter the United States drew criticism from Christian and Muslim supporters of refugee resettlement.

Hours after the November 13 Paris attacks in which 129 people were killed, 30 U.S. governors led by Abbott announced that their respective states will not accept more refugees from Syria considering that any of them could be a threat.

The Obama administration has said states don’t have the legal authority to deny services to refugees.

Texas Health Commissioner Chris Traylor sent a letter over Thanksgiving weekend to the International Rescue Committee, a New York-based humanitarian aid organization with offices in Dallas, which signified a willingness to take in Syrian refugees, according to the Houston Chronicle.

A State Department official said Monday that the USA government has never placed refugees at American Indian reservations and has no plans to house Syrian refugees, or any refugees, on such reservations.

She says if the judge grants Texas anything, a scenario she calls “almost impossible”, it would be an order that directs the IRC to share more information but doesn’t block the refugees.

Corcoran said the governors need to press for their rights to information, even if it means going to court. “They’re saying, ‘OK, you want to know who is coming to your state, from where?”

It’s not clear whether the state will take further action, but Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins questions the governor’s strategy.

McCrory and public safety Secretary Frank Perry publicly repeated those concerns and also said there was poor communication among state and federal agencies on the issue.

“We’ll do everything that we can as a community as the city and county, the faith-based community to work with everyone to provide a place for people fleeing violence and danger”, Jenkins said.

According to Traylor, the IRC’s vocal support for resettling Syrian refugees in Texas is a violation of federal law.

Likewise, Refugee Services of Texas had not received a letter from the state about Syrian refugees, said Aaron Rippenkroeger, the president and CEO.

Texas Republicans, who control every office of state government, have been particularly outspoken in their opposition.

It will only include the refugees’ rough age and gender.

Those concerns were magnified by reports that one of the Paris terrorist suspects had a fake Syrian passport and entered Europe with a wave of refugees from that war-torn country.

Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, sent a letter with at least 73 Republican signatures calling on House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, and House Appropriations Committee Chair Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky, to halt funding for refugee resettlement in the spending bill unless the White House establishes stricter vetting procedures for refugees.