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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 16 January 2020
Judge halts Trump's order allowing states to block refugees

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN system." Abbott's office did
and JULIE WATSON not immediately respond
Associated Press to messages seeking com-
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) ment on Wednesday's rul-
— A federal judge on ing.
Wednesday halted Presi- Refugees have the right to
dent Donald Trump's exec- move anywhere in the U.S.
utive order that gave state after their initial resettle-
and local officials the abil- ment, but at their own ex-
ity to shut the door on refu- pense.
gees, and ignited a fierce The head of Lutheran Im-
debate in communities migration and Refugee
about how welcoming the Service, Krish O'Mara Vig-
United States should be. narajah, said Trump's order
U.S. District Judge Peter was already causing "ir-
Messitte in Maryland said in reparable harm to refugee
his ruling that the president's families." Agencies were
order "flies in the face of forced to dedicate time
clear Congressional intent" and resources to getting
of the 1980 Refugee Act written consents instead of
by allowing state and local focusing on efforts to help
governments to block the refugees integrate with
resettlement of refugees in language classes and job
their jurisdictions. training.
In issuing a preliminary in- Agencies have gotten con-
junction, Messitte said the In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, Linda Evarts, an attorney for the International Refugee sents from 42 states.
Assistant Project, speaks to the media outside the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Md.
process should continue Associated Press Mark Hetfield, the head
as it has for nearly 40 years, of HIAS, estimated about
with refugee resettlement fect in June, required agen- bates and raucous meet- large numbers of refuges 1,800 refugees this year will
agencies deciding where cies to get written consent ings in several towns from to your state from Somalia, be resettled in Texas, where
a person would best thrive. from state and local offi- North Dakota to Tennessee, without considering the im- most have family members
Church World Service, Lu- cials before resettling refu- and put Republican gover- pact to schools and com- already, unless the Trump
theran Immigration and gees in their jurisdictions. nors in an uncomfortable munities and taxpayers. I administration appeals the
Refugee Service, and HIAS Trump said he acted to re- position between immigra- promise you that as a presi- ruling and wins. Mayors
— a Jewish nonprofit — spect communities that be- tion hardliners who want dent I will give communities from the state's major cities
filed the lawsuit in Green- lieve they do not have the to shut the door and some local control." have welcomed them.
belt, Maryland, on Nov. jobs or other resources to Christian evangelicals who The ruling comes less than a Ali Al Sudani, chief pro-
21. They said they already be able to take in refugees. believe helping refugees is week after Texas became grams officer for Interfaith
work closely with state and The administration didn't a moral obligation. Others the first state to say it did Ministries for Greater Hous-
local officials before reset- immediately say whether it say refugees are vital to fill not want more refugees. ton, said many refugees
tling refugees in an area. will appeal Messitte's deci- jobs and keep rural com- Gov. Greg Abbott said in were anxious after Abbott's
They called the order an sion. The State Department munities afloat. a letter released Jan. 10 announcement. One Iraqi
attempt at a state-by-state said it is reviewing the deci- Trump has brought the or- that Texas, which took in man contacted Al Sudani
ban on refugees. sion and has no immediate der up on the campaign more refugees than any to say that he was in the
Messitte agreed. "It grants comment. trail, getting big applause other state during the 2018 process of being approved
them veto power. Period," The order was the latest at- from supporters at a Min- fiscal year, "has been left to go to Texas and asked
the judge wrote. tempt by the Trump admin- neapolis rally in October by Congress to deal with whether he should request
The Trump order, which was istration to thrust states and when he said: "As you disproportionate migration another state instead.
issued in September and cities into immigration pol- know, for many years lead- issues resulting from a bro- Al Sudani called Wednes-
had been set to go into ef- icy. It caused heated de- ers in Washington brought ken federal immigration day's ruling "great news." q

Student fatally shot at Texas high school; suspect arrested

BELLAIRE, Texas (AP) — A hours after the shooting crews were seen perform-
19-year-old student was Tuesday night, accord- ing CPR as the student was
shot to death Tuesday at ing to statements from the carried on a stretcher to
a Texas high school, and a school district and Bellaire an ambulance outside the
suspect was arrested hours police. They said no other school, KPRC-TV reported.
later, officials said. information would be re- There were conflicting me-
Grenita Lathan, interim su- leased for now, includ- dia reports about whether
perintendent of the Hous- ing further details about the shooting happened in-
ton Independent School where the shooting oc- side or outside the school.
District, confirmed the curred in the school com- The city, a suburb south
shooting victim at Bellaire plex, whether the suspect west of Houston, con-
High School had died. She was a student or what led firmed on Twitter that
gave no other information to the arrest. The district there was a shooting and
and took no questions. announced classes had said the suspect is still at
A suspect and another been canceled Wednes- Students watch from across the street as authorities respond to large. It advised resident
person police said was day, after Latham original- a shooting at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, Tuesday, to avoid the area around
connected to the case ly said they were going on Jan. 14, 2020. the school or remain in
were arrested about 3 1/2 as scheduled. Emergency Associated Press their homes. q