U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte recently “blocked a directive by President Donald Trump that would allow states and local governments to reject the resettlement of refugees in their communities” (CBS News, Jan. 15).
Messitte said the executive order “does not appear to serve the overall public interest,” NPR reported.
The judge’s ruling followed a hearing on January 8, during which plaintiffs’ attorneys, lawyers at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), argued that the order violated federal law and is causing irreparable harm to the resettlement agencies and the refugees they have been tasked with assisting in rebuilding their lives in the United States, refugee advocacy group HIAS noted in a news release.
Prior to the ruling, governors from several states said that they would continue to accept refugees. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott proved to be the exception, saying his state would not accept new refugees in 2020.
Messitte’s opinion is available here.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 