Following a formal opinion from the Georgia state attorney general stating that it is not legal for states to block Syrian refugees, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) on Monday rescinded an executive order telling state agencies not to help with the resettlement of refugees from Syria, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
State Attorney General Sam Olens issued the formal opinion last week, writing that he is “unaware of any law or agreement that would permit a state to carve out refugees from particular countries from participation in the refugee resettlement program, no matter how well-intended or justified the desire to carve out such refugees might be.”
Deal had asked Olens for a formal opinion and indicated in the reversal of his executive order that his decision to do so was based on Olens’ opinion.
Deal had issued the executive order in November, prompting the state Department of Human Services to tell employees to not process Syrian refugees’ applications for benefits like food stamps. The department in December then confirmed that they would not process a food stamp application submitted by a Syrian refugee family that had arrived in the state earlier that month.