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U.S. NEWS Saturday 14 december 2019
Governor on refugees: 'The inn is not full in Minnesota'

of refugees the U.S. would Minnesota Attorney Gener- lawsuit. He called the presi-
accept from 30,000 this al Keith Ellison announced dent's order "illegal and
year to 18,000 in 2020, the late Friday afternoon that immoral." The brief argues
lowest level since Congress he has joined a coalition of that the order violates the
passed the Refugee Act of 12 attorneys general — led Refugee Act and interferes
1980. Three national reset- by California, Illinois and with each state's preroga-
tlement groups have sued Maryland — in filing an am- tive to set statewide policy
to block Trump's order. icus brief in support of that on resettlement.q

Gov. Tim Walz pauses during a press conference about the
crash of a Minnesota National Guard helicopter Thursday, Dec.
5, 2019, near Marty, Minn.
Associated Press

By STEVE KARNOWSKI and city council approved
Associated Press a resolution affirming a
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Min- pledge to be a welcoming
nesota state government city that strongly supports
will continue to consent to the resettlement of refu-
refugee resettlement, Gov. gees. The resolution also af-
Tim Walz said Friday, in re- firmed the city's opposition
sponse to a recent presi- to the Trump administra-
dential executive order tion's cuts to the number of
that requires consent from refugees admitted into the
states and counties. U.S. Under President Don-
"The inn is not full in Min- ald Trump's executive order
nesota," the Democratic from September, state and
governor said in a letter local governments must
to Secretary of State Mike consent to allowing refu-
Pompeo just ahead of the gee resettlement, giving
Christmas holiday. governors, county boards
Walz also said he rejects and city governments the
the intent of the execu- chance to decide how
tive order and reserves the welcoming they will be.
state's right to challenge its Kandiyohi County in west-
requirements. central Minnesota appar-
"Minnesota has a strong ently became the state's
moral tradition of welcom- first county to consent last
ing those who seek refuge," week, while others are still
he wrote. "Our state has waiting to decide.
always stepped forward In North Dakota, Burleigh
to help those who are flee- County agreed Monday
ing desperate situations to accept no more than
and need a safe place to 25 refugees next year after
call home. In keeping with initially signaling it would
this proud history, I offer become what refuge re-
my consent to continue settlement groups be-
refugee resettlement in the lieved would have been
State of Minnesota." the first local government
Minnesota has the coun- in the country to block refu-
try's largest Somali and gees altogether. Burleigh is
Karen populations, the home to about 95,000 peo-
second-largest Hmong ple and includes the capi-
population and one of tal city of Bismarck. The
the largest Liberian popu- county board voted after
lations — all made up of North Dakota Gov. Doug
people who fled their war- Burgum last month said his
torn homelands and their state would continue to re-
descendants. According ceive refugees — as long
to State Department data, as local jurisdictions agree.
Minnesota ranks sixth in the Trump's order said the ad-
country for refugee arrivals ministration was respect-
since 2001, accepting over ing communities that can't
43,000 individuals. take in refugees. He an-
The city of Minneapolis also nounced the change at
responded to Trump's or- the same time that his ad-
der Friday when its mayor ministration cut the number