Alabama joins Texas as the only two states to file lawsuits against the federal government regarding Syrian and Arab refugees.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Birmingham, said Jennifer Ardis, spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Robert Bentley.
The Alabama lawsuit argues that the federal government has not followed a portion of the Refugee Act of 1980 that says the federal government "shall consult regularly" with states on placement.
On 3 occasions I sent letters to the White House requesting info on Refugee Reception Program in AL & these letters have gone unanswered.
— Gov. Robert Bentley (@GovernorBentley) January 7, 2016
"We are the one who secure the people of this state and protect the people of this state. We need to have the information on refugees as they come in to allow us to do that," Bentley said.
The process & manner the Obama Administration & the Fed Gov't are executing the Refugee Reception Program is blatantly excluding states.
— Gov. Robert Bentley (@GovernorBentley) January 7, 2016