1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 KJV “…the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
Alabama is taking the federal government to court over the Obama administration’s plans to resettle refugees in America, claiming the White House hasn’t told the state enough about the process and that lack of dialogue and information constitutes a violation of federal law.
Governor Robert Bentley announced the lawsuit in a news release on Thursday, arguing the government wasn’t following the rules laid out in the Refugee Act of 1980.
Alabama is arguing the state was “denied a meaningful role and input into the process” of the government resettling refugees in the state, despite the act requiring the government to consult states before it places any refugees in their communities, according to the governor’s statement.
Bentley was one of several governors who have publicly announced their states will not accept any Syrian refugees. He originally made the announcement in November, just two days after the Paris attacks, and specifically mentioned those attacks when initially making his announcement.
The governor’s office said Thursday the lawsuit covers all refugees that the government wants to place in the state, including those from places other than Syria. The lawsuit references concerns about terrorism.
“Regarding security, Alabama shares the concerns of the intelligence community – including those of the Nation’s highest ranking intelligence officials – that sufficient information is lacking to ensure that certain refugees – including those from Syria – have neither provided material support to terrorists nor are terrorists themselves,” the lawsuit reads.
In announcing the lawsuit, Bentley said he has sent the White House three letters about the program and its potential impacts on Alabama, but “these letters have gone unanswered.”
“As Governor, the Alabama Constitution gives me the sovereign authority and solemn duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of all citizens of Alabama,” Bentley continued in his statement. “The process and manner in which the Obama Administration and the federal government are executing the Refugee Reception Program is blatantly excluding the states.”
Alabama is arguing that because it doesn’t have any information about the refugees, the state can’t prepare for their arrival and their potential impact on public safety and social programs.
Defendants in the lawsuit include the United States, the State Department, the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, as well as some leaders in those departments, court filings show.
The governor’s office said the lawsuit is asking for the government to admit it didn’t adequately consult Alabama, medical histories and complete files of every refugee and certification that none of the refugees represent a security risk. The lawsuit is also asking the government to declare it can’t place any refugees in Alabama until it first addresses those other responsibilities.
