A federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked an executive order signed by President Trump that would allow state and local governments to refuse to accept refugees. Judge Peter J. Messitte of the Maryland District Court granted a motion from refugee groups to place a nationwide injunction on the order while their legal challenge against the administration plays out. The Clinton appointed judge stated:
By giving States and Local Governments the power to veto where refugees may be resettled — in the face of clear statutory text and structure, purpose, Congressional intent, executive practice, judicial holdings, and Constitutional doctrine to the contrary — Order 13888 does not appear to serve the overall public interest; granting the preliminary inductive relief Plaintiffs seek does. Refugee resettlement activity should go forward as it developed for the almost 40 years before Executive Order 13888 was announced.
Messitte said in his 31-page opinion that the groups have shown a likelihood that their legal challenge will succeed. In their lawsuit filed in November, the groups argued that the executive order undermines the existing legal framework for admitting and resettling refugees in the U.S.
The White House rightfully slammed the ruling as "preposterous" and "one more example of nationwide district court injunctions run amok." Adding:
Another lawless district court has asserted its own preferred immigration policy in place of the laws of the United States – and, in so doing, robbed millions of American citizens of their voice and their say in a vital issue directly affecting their communities. President Trump rightly and justly recognized that your communities are unique, and while some cities have the resources to adequately support refugees and help them be successful, not all communities can sustain the substantial and costly burden.
Under Trump’s executive order, the State Department has to obtain written consent from state and local officials before moving forward with refugee resettlement in their jurisdictions. Last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made his state the first in the country to opt out of accepting refugees.
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