Texas sues State Department and relief agency to block Syrian refugees

A Texas state agency sued the U.S. State Department, a relief agency and others in federal court on Wednesday, seeking to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state ahead of a plan to bring in a new group of Syrians within a week.

The International Rescue Committee is set to relocate two Syrian refugee families to Texas in the coming days, but Texas state officials said that such a move is reckless and would be met with a cut in funding for the organization.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission sued, asking the U.S. District Court in Dallas for an immediate restraining order and a hearing by Dec. 9 for an injunction that would prevent resettlement. It is also asking that no other refugees be placed in Texas until then.

The suit names Secretary of State John Kerry, the State Department and others as defendants. Texas contends that the defendants are violating their statutory duty to consult with the state before placing refugees there.

The International Rescue Committee was not immediately available for comment.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, "The point of this lawsuit is not about specific refugees. It is about protecting Texans by ensuring that the federal government fulfills its obligation to properly vet the refugees and cooperate and consult with the state."

After the Paris attacks in November, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, was among the first of more than 30 U.S. governors seeking to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees in their states. He has said he was concerned that U.S. security screening is ineffective and could allow people with ties to terrorism to be admitted.

Multiple federal government security agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, participate in the refugee screening process, which can take 18 to 24 months, according to the State Department.

Refugee advocates say that the states have no legal power to deny people entry on the basis of their nationality and that the objecting governors, mostly Republicans, are targeting those who are overwhelmingly victims of violence in Syria rather than perpetrators.

Texas has taken in 180 Syrian refugees since Syria's civil war began in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Wire services