Ted Cruz Presents Bill That Would Allow States to Bar Refugee Resettlement

It should be up to a state governor to determine if they want to allow resettlement of refugees in their state.

At least, that’s the states’ rights issue that Texas Senator Ted Cruz and two of his colleagues put forth on Tuesday.

The State Refugee Security Act requires the federal government to notify a state at least 21 days before resettling a refugee there. Under the law, governors could block refugees from being resettled in their states unless federal officials can provide “adequate assurance” that the individual doesn’t pose a security threat.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) reintroduced the bill this week, after initially pushing it late last year in the previous Congress. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is co-sponsoring the measure.

Cruz, along with most clearheaded Americans, has expressed concerns over the Obama administration’s program to resettle Muslim refugees in America.

The majority of those refugees being settled are from war-torn regions of Syria and Iraq. Cruz argued that it would be very easy for terrorists to use Obama’s refugee program as a way to enter into the nation and do harm

He suggested that those most in danger in those areas – Christians – be taken, but that wasn’t acceptable to Obama.

Said Cruz:

“The first obligation of the president is to keep this country safe as commander in chief,” Cruz said in a statement. “I am encouraged that, unlike the previous administration, one of President Trump’s top priorities is to defeat radical Islamic terrorism.”

Well, we can hope so.

Without a president sure to veto the bill, perhaps making this a states’ rights issue will help propel this legislation forward.

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