Does Governor Nathan Deal have the authority to block Syrian refugees from entering Georgia? Attorney Sarah Owings of Antonini & Cohen Immigration Law Group was asked that question during a recent interview on WABE radio, NPR’s Atlanta station.
In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks linked to Islamic extremists, Governor Nathan Deal and a number of other governors are seeking to stop the relocation of Syrian refugees into their states. However, the process of resettling refugees is handled by the federal government. “The president has explicit statutory authorization to accept foreign refugees into the United States and that is under the Refugee Act of 1980,” said Sarah Owings, an Atlanta immigration attorney.
The federal government has the final say on allowing refugees into the country, although governors may be able to disrupt the process of resettling refugees in their states. The White House plans to meet with the governors to share information about security screening and the process for admitting Syrian refugees.
For more information and to listen to the radio broadcast, click here.