XPost: or.politics, alt.politics.trump   
   From: George@4ax.net.invalid   
      
    courthousenews.com   
   Texas Won't Take New Refugees Under Federal Resettlement Program   
   TRAVIS BUBENIK   
      
   (CN) – The Republican governor of Texas said Friday his state will opt   
   out of a federal refugee resettlement program in 2020, even as leaders   
   in the state's largest cities have indicated they would welcome   
   refugees.   
   Gov. Greg Abbott, left, speaks at a news conference in June 2019. (Jay   
   Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)   
      
   Governor Greg Abbott announced the decision in a letter released   
   Friday, saying Texas "has been left by Congress to deal with   
   disproportionate migration issues resulting from a broken federal   
   immigration system."   
      
   Describing Texas as "one of the most welcoming states for refugees   
   seeking to escape dangers abroad," Abbott said the state had done   
   "more than its share" in assisting with the resettlement program.   
      
   Abbott's decisions comes as a response to an announcement from the   
   Trump administration last September that federal agencies have to get   
   written consent from state and local governments where the agencies   
   want to resettle refugees beyond June 2020.   
      
   Governors in 42 states have told the federal government they would   
   welcome refugees under the program, according to the Lutheran   
   Immigration and Refugee Service. The group, called LIRS for short, is   
   Baltimore-based resettlement agency that tracks the issue and has also   
   sued the Trump administration over the September executive order   
   alongside other organizations.   
      
   Leaders in the major Texas cities of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and   
   Austin have also said they would welcome refugees.   
      
   "This is a deeply disappointing decision," Krish O'Mara Vignarajah,   
   president of LIRS, said in a statement.   
      
   "Historically, Texas has served as a beacon of hope for refugees from   
   across the globe, having resettled the highest number of any state. It   
   is shameful that the state is once again trying to illegally reverse   
   this legacy of welcome and compassion now," Vignarajah added,   
   referencing the state's failed lawsuit over Syrian refugee   
   resettlement that was filed in 2015.   
      
   In Friday's letter, Abbott noted that his decision would not prevent   
   refugees from being resettled in other states and then moving to   
   Texas.   
      
   "At this time, the state and non-profit organizations have a   
   responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are   
   already here, including refugees, migrants, and the homeless," Abbott   
   wrote.   
      
   A federal judge heard arguments in the lawsuit against President   
   Trump's executive order on Wednesday.   
      
   Timothy Young, a spokesperson for LIRS, said the organization is   
   expecting a decision on its request for a preliminary injunction   
   blocking the order as early as next week.   
      
      
      
   --   
      
      
   Democracy: Three wolves and a lamb vote for dinner.   
   Republic:  Three wolves and a lamb vote for dinner,   
              but the lamb is armed & has the right   
              to an appeal in a court of law.   
   Socialism: Three Wolves have eaten the lamb   
              and are fighting amongst themselves   
              for scrapes.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)