Texas Pulls Out Of Federal Refugee Resettlement Program

In this Dec. 8, 2015 photo, Rick Martin, the head of the Committee to End the CSI Refugee Center, works to gather petition signatures in Twin Falls, Idaho. (AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has formally stopped helping the U.S. government provide aid and services to refugees, citing alleged safety concerns.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that Texas would withdraw from the federally funded refugee resettlement program unless the state’s demands for stricter refugee vetting were met.

Abbott said Friday that federal authorities failed to meet those demands, and he announced Texas’ official withdrawal. The move follows withdrawals by Kansas and New Jersey.

A judge had already rejected Texas’ efforts to halt the arrival of new refugees from Syria after last year’s deadly attacks in Paris. Friday’s move means Texas will stop facilitating refugee services and benefits covered by federal funding.

The White House recently announced the U.S. will strive to take in 110,000 refugees from around the world next year.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latest News
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: