WASHINGTON -- The leaders of Texas and Indiana reiterated on Tuesday that they are continuing efforts to block Syrian refugees from resettling in their states and that they have the authority to do so. But refugee resettlement groups are still sending Syrians to both states, and neither is stopping them.
At a press conference in Washington with Republican candidate and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) had a lot to say about why Syrian refugees should be blocked from his state, arguing that the screening system simply isn't good enough to determine if any could be terrorists.
He had little explanation for why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) withdrew a request on Friday for an emergency hearing on Texas' lawsuit to keep out Syrian refugees -- a move that cleared the way for more than 20 of them to move there this week.
"It's important to understand that Texas continues to maintain its lawsuit trying to block Syrian refugees from being relocated to the state of Texas," Abbott said, adding that Paxton's office made the decision on the emergency hearing and should field questions on the matter.
"In my capacity as governor, I will continue to do everything that I can to ensure that refugees from Syria who could pose a danger to the people of the state of Texas will not be allowed to relocate into the state of Texas," Abbott added.
Paxton said in a statement on Friday that he had withdrawn the petition because the Obama administration provided more information on the first group of Syrian refugees set for resettlement. The lawsuit has not been dropped. Abbott told the Houston Chronicle after Paxton's announcement that he still opposed accepting any Syrian refugees because "the vetting process and procedures are inadequate."
The federal government and a number of legal experts have said governors have no authority to block certain groups of refugees.
A spokesman for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) said on Tuesday that Syrian refugees are being resettled in the state despite the governor's objections.
Pence spokesman Matt Lloyd issued the statement in response to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis announcing that a Syrian refugee family arrived in the city on Monday. Lloyd said Pence "holds Catholic Charities in the highest regard but respectfully disagrees with their decision to place a Syrian refugee family in Indiana at this time."
That opposition isn't enough to actually keep them from getting aid, such as food stamps and health care, however, according to The Indianapolis Star.
But none of that means Pence is backing off his claim that the state will stop participating in Syrian refugee resettlement, according to the statement.
"The safety and security of the people of Indiana is Governor Pence’s top priority," Lloyd said in the statement. "The State of Indiana will continue to suspend its participation in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Indiana until the federal government takes action to address the concerns raised about this program."
Another contradiction was apparent at the press conference with Abbott and Cruz. The senator announced a bill that would, according to a statement from his office, "permit the governor of a state to reject the resettlement of a refugee in that state unless there is adequate assurance that the refugee does not present a security risk."
"It is my hope that Congress will take up and pass into law the legislation that I introduced today that gives the governors the ability to opt out if the federal government is not sufficiently vetting refugees," Cruz said in a statement.
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