Texas Files Suit To Block Syrian Refugees From Being Relocated To Dallas

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AUSTIN (KRLD-AM) - Texas is turning to the courts to stop the federal government from resettling Syrian refugees in Dallas on Friday December 4.

The lawsuit was filed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission against a number of defendants including the U.S. State Department and the local Dallas Refugee Resettlement Agency the International Rescue Committee.

While on a business development trip in Havana, Cuba, Governor Abbott made his case.

"I think it's irresponsible for the refugee resettlement operations to put aside any type of security interest and continue to press on about this," said Abbott.

Abbott alerted the federal government and President Obama last month that Texas would no longer accept any Syrian refugees until the refugee vetting process was improved.

On the call from Cuba on Wednesday Abbott said, "They still have not refuted the information that has been provided by national security leaders; such as the National Security Director himself who said there is a real concern about the possibility of terrorists being able to infiltrate the refugees."

The suit contends the U.S. government has prevented Texas from receiving vital information to assess the security risk posed by the refugees in advance of their arrival.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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