Don’t Mess with Texas? Federal Court Dismisses Texas’ Suit Seeking to Keep Syrian Refugees Out of the Lone Star State
Manny Fernandez for the New York Times reports that Texas’ efforts to bar Syrian refugees from settling in the state suffered a setback when a federal judge dismissed the state’s lawsuit against federal officials and a nonprofit group that assists refugees.
Texas was the first state to try to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees by suing the Obama administration. Texas Republican leaders — including Gov. Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz — cited security concerns. Officials in other states, including Indiana and Oklahoma, have publicly refused to accept Syrian refugees as well. The Texas lawsuit accused the State Department and other federal agencies of violating the Refugee Act of 1980 by failing to consult with state officials before resettling refugees. It also charged that the nonprofit relief group, the International Rescue Committee, had breached its contract with the state.
In his fuling, Judge David C. Godbey found that
“The goal of this wasteful lawsuit had nothing to do with public safety, and everything to do with scoring political points on the backs of desperate refugees,” said Terri T. Burke, executive director of the Texas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the relief group along with the National Immigration Law Center and Southern Poverty Law Center. “We trust Judge Godbey’s ruling will dissuade other states contemplating similar discriminatory measures.”
The Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, suggested in a statement that further legal action was possible. “I am disappointed with the court’s determination that Texas cannot hold the federal government accountable to consult with us before resettling refugees here,” Mr. Paxton said. “We are considering our options moving forward to guarantee the safety of Texans from domestic and foreign threats.”
KJ