Texas accepts 10 percent of the refugees seeking safety from religious persecution – more than any other state. The influx of migrants has forced state officials to balance their open door policy with the safety of native Texans. Gov. Greg Abbott has already declared that his state will not accept any Syrian refugees. Yet, resettlement groups, like the International Rescue Committee, have thus far proved to be uncooperative on this front. Texas health commissioner Chris Traylor wrote a letter to the executive director of the committee's Dallas branch, Donna Duvin, warning that she will face a lawsuit if her group doesn’t adhere to Abbott’s directive:
Specifically, your agency insists on resettling certain refugees from Syria in the near future. I must ask that you fulfill your statutory duty to conduct your activities “in close cooperation and advance consultation” with the State of Texas pursuant to section 1522 of Title 8 of the United States Code. If you remain unwilling to cooperate with the state on this matter, we strongly believe that a failure to cooperate with the State on this matter violates federal law and your contract with the state.
Traylor has reason to be concerned about Texans’ safety, especially after the terror attacks in Paris last month that left 130 people dead.
The potential for ISIS to infiltrate our borders under the guise of a refugee status cannot be overlooked. In fact, it’s why a majority of states are refusing to accept Syrian refugees until their security concerns can be addressed. As it stands, the FBI has admitted the screening process is nowhere near as thorough as it needs to be.
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Traylor will send similar warnings to any resettlement group that places refugee rights over Americans’ safety. His letter has Gov. Abbott’s blessing.
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