Monday, February 29, 2016

Federal Court Blocks Pence's Plan To Halt Resettlement Of Syrian Refugees

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton-Pratt rebuked Gov. Mike Pence in his efforts to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Indiana until federal officials are able to assure state officials that they are capable of conducting background investigations of those seeking refugee status to protect against individuals with known terrorist ties from entering the country. Exodus Refugees, a nonprofit agency with whom the State Department contracts to provide resettlement services to refugees, brought suit against the Pence administration, contending the governor violated the equal protection rights of Syrian refugees by singling them out for discriminatory action. Judge Walton-Pratt's decision grants a preliminary injunction enjoining Gov. Pence from carrying out his executive action, having concluded the likelihood of the plaintiff succeeding on the merits of its claim against the state.

Judge Walton-Pratt concluded that Pence's policy directive unlawfully discriminated against Syrian refugees based on their national origin. Although Judge Walton-Pratt agreed that the state had a compelling interest in the enforcement of Gov. Pence's executive action--the safety of Indiana residents--the administration's plan to withhold federal funds from groups like Exodus Refugees to provide social services to Syrian refugees resettled in Indiana "in no way furthers the State's interest in the safety of Indiana residents."

State officials had relied upon a Supreme Court decision last year authored by the late Justice Antonin Scalia in support of its primary contention that the federal Refugee Act conferred no private right of action on Exodus Refugees as a service provider to sue Gov. Pence. A fair reading of the majority opinion in Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, Inc. would tend to support the state's contention that only the federal government had standing to compel Gov. Pence not to withhold federal grant money from refugee resettlement providers like Exodus Refugees. In Armstrong, a 5-4 majority found that Medicaid service providers in the state of Idaho had no private right of action to sue the state over the rate of reimbursement provided under a state Medicaid program. Scalia's untimely death could lead to a different outcome in future such cases. Judge Walton-Pratt dismissed the state's argument, distinguishing the case at hand from Armstrong as a straight-up anti-discrimination case.

Gov. Mike Pence has asked Attorney General Greg Zoeller to seek an immediate stay and appeal of today's decision. "As governor I have no higher priority than the safety and security of the people of Indiana," Pence said in a statement released by his office. "During these uncertain times, we must always err on the side of caution. For that reason, following the terrorist attack in Paris and the acknowledgment by the Director of the FBI that there are gaps in the screening for Syrian refugees, I suspended participation by the State of Indiana in the Syrian refugee resettlement program and I stand by that decision." "So long as the Obama administration continues to refuse to address gaps in the screening of Syrian refugees acknowledged by the FBI and a bipartisan majority in Congress, Hoosiers can be assured that my administration will continue to use every legal means available to suspend this program in Indiana unless and until federal officials take steps to ensure the safety and security of our citizens."

The Indiana Law Blog has posted a copy of today's order online, which you can access here.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike Pence loses. Slapped down by a Federal Judge. And Indiana looks backward and stupid. Because of Mike Pence. And his lap dog Greg Zoeller. Who has no backbone of his own. Some Attorneys General are willing to tell their Governors no. But not Zoeller.

Anonymous said...

8:18

You need to look no further than Plainfield to understand the risks involved in not "vetting" rufugees.....take a look at this map and decide if your attitude about Indiana is conducive to the SECURITY of INDIANA.

Using Clarion’s definitions, The Daily Caller News Foundation has mapped these radical mosques in an effort to aid readers seeking to understand the extent of radical Islamic voices in this country.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/21/caution-you-may-live-in-the-radical-mosque-zone/

Anonymous said...

8:18 needs to be slapped down for being America-hating scum.

Anonymous said...

Who are these refugees that the high profit making non-profit Exodus Refugee Immigration are bringing to Indiana? How safe will Indianans be thanks to Judge Tanya Pratt and the ACLU? The clips in this video of "refugees" answer that question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmkDJ7Pv728

LamLawIndy said...

Look, Judge Walton-Pratt is right: Article I, section 8 gives Congress -- not the States -- the power to regulate immigration & naturalization. I don't necessarily like that setup, but it IS the Constitution. Either follow it or amend it.

Gary R. Welsh said...

That's not what was at issue, Carlos. The question was whether a provider group had standing to bring a lawsuit against the state of Indiana.

Pete Boggs said...

The true provider is the people & their tax dollars. These non-profit scams must be held legally liable, for who they bring into the country of those who pay the freight.

Anon 8:18's comment is typical of those consumed with the ephemera of fashion, aesthetics or optics of how things look to someone else; vs. how they really are.

Gary R. Welsh said...

It's not the responsibility of the providers to screen the applicants. That responsibility lies with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The FBI has warned that the current screening activities are inadequate. My only problem with the resettlement providers is how they choose to distribute resettled refugees in this country. They have a tendency to plop large numbers of them in single communities, resulting in a tremendous burden being placed on local schools and health social service agencies, and to a lesser extent, law enforcement agencies. The feds do not cover most of those added costs. 60 Minutes, no right wing bastion, had a segment not long ago discussing how small communities in the state of Maine have been overwhelmed by the large number of refugees from Burma the relief agencies have settled there. Basic services for residents have to be cut to deal with the increased costs of supporting such a large number of refugees settled in their small communities.

Anonymous said...

Not to have standing when the governor illegally withholds Federal funding from a non-profit? It would rather be no standing when the cost to the state is zero.

Pete Boggs said...

These "non-profit" schemers / providers should be investigated for their role in subversion of American sovereignty. Here's a cry for help; that of a young German girl, 16 years old, wherein she poses a haunting question "Where are the German men?" Check it out for yourself: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/01/22/16-year-old-girls-migrant-fears-video-keeps-disappearing-off-facebook/