A U.S. federal judge in Dallas has ruled that Texas cannot block Syrian refugees from being resettled within the state over alleged security concerns.
Dallas Federal Judge David Gosbey said in his decision that the state’s lawsuit lacks a cause for action and denied the state’s claims that the International Rescue Committee violated its contract with the state by not allowing the state to pre-approve Syrian refugees being relocated in various Texas cities.
Bee Morehead is with the non-profit Texas Impact, who represents the legal and legislative interest of several refugee resettlement groups operating in Texas. She says over the past year, these organizations have been on pins and needles about the potential outcome of this lawsuit.
“They were generally distressed that anyone would have called into question the integrity of the program and therefore their integrity", Morehead says.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says he's appealing the ruling.
