Posted on 03/01/2016 3:57:05 AM PST by HomerBohn
A federal judge in Indianapolis on Monday blocked Republican Gov. Mike Pence's order that barred state agencies from helping Syrian refugees resettle in Indiana, saying the governor's directive "clearly discriminates" against refugees from the war-torn country.
The ruling grants a request for a preliminary injunction from Exodus Refugee Immigration, which helps resettle refugees in Indiana. The group sued shortly after Pence issued his order in November, saying the change would hurt aid groups by withholding reimbursements for housing and medical care to assist Syrian refugees.
Exodus and other organizations have continued to resettle Syrian refugees, though the state has sought to withhold funds earmarked for resettlements. Four Syrian refugees were settled in January, with Exodus planning to settle nearly 200 more this year, Monday's opinion said.
More than two dozen states, most with Republican governors, have taken similar action to suspend Syrian resettlement programs.
Pence released a statement saying he stood by his decision and would quickly appeal. The governor has repeatedly cited the November attacks in Paris as justification, noting that a passport found near one of the suicide bombers had been registered along the route asylum seekers from Syria were taking through Europe.
In her 36-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt said the state had a compelling concern to protect its residents, but that withholding federal grant money from the aid group "in no way furthers the state's asserted interest in the safety of Indiana residents."
Pratt also wrote that the governor's directive "clearly discriminates against Syrian refugees based on their national origin."
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
The states should make decisions as to what what happens there and not a zonked-out Obama appointee!
Now that states have no power under this evil administration, they just succumb to the central socialist government. Federalism is a topic for a whole other day but giving more power to states to be able to say no to the federal government in situations such as this should be the goal of the sycophantic Republicrat Congress.
He should ignore/work around the judge’s order. What can she do? He would be an international hero.
Obama Judge.
What a load of Pratt! I would direct all Syrian refugees to move into “Judge” Pratt’s home post haste!
Try ramming Christians in Egypt
Radical leftwing judge appointed by Obama.....
He’s going to challenge it.
ONE judge cannot rule against the people. This is the kind of thing obama has endorsed/sanctioned/encouraged, and this is the kind of thing that has to be stopped. This is the kind of thing for which I’d vote Trump or Cruz... the rest are so in the GOP tank, they will not fight.. and that lack of any hit back, is the reason Trump is so far in the lead. We cannot allow those refugees to settle in as our neighbors.. the gov has no record on them and they have no idea who they are. Nor does gov/obama care. He won’t be living with them.
The destruction that one man brought to our country, makes me angry every time I’m forced to recognize his lawless dictatorship and the impotent republican congress. Trump looks pretty good for the cleanup job.
she is not really relevant....... just disobey the order. it can’t be enforced
she is a racist genderist and should recuse herself from the decision
Oh yes they do!
They are islamists! They belong to an organization with standing orders to murder and enslave US!
“She has made her ruling. Now let her enforce it.”
Cognitive dissonance. These two statements cannot be reconciled. Withholding funds is precisely what the Governor needs to do to protect the citizens of his State.
Its the political thing to do for the sake of image in an election year. Create that ‘emotional wedge issue’ as Karl Rove would put it to make Republicans look attractive.
The GOPe of Indiana wanted a long court fight to go on right through the election year.
When will there be something other than political show in this country from Republican politicians? Don’t hold your breath.
Governor Mike Pence caved to folks like Apple and Tim Cook, other big corporations when he backed away from a religious freedom law for gay marriage objectors last year.
Help them move into her neighborhood - maybe “teach” in her kids’ school.
We’ll see what Pence does. I don’t have a lot of faith in him, he has pretty weel sucked as a Governor.
Where in the Constitution or elsewhere is a government official prohibited from discriminating against a demographic group of non-citizens?
The 14th Amendment goes out of its way to describe CITIZEN so it can make a distinction between citizen and non-citizen and provide equal protection of the law to citizens...but no such protection is given anywhere to non-citizens... except in the fantasies of the judge.
That’s EXACTLY what they should do.
The Vietnamese boat people had to have sponsors to come here, to assure they would not be on public welfare
The good judge should be required to house a muslim family in her spare rooms. which she almost certainly has
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