New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s stance against the state accepting refugees from Syria has set off a wave of controversy and confusion as a family from the war-torn country is scheduled to arrive Monday.
In a letter sent to President Barack Obama this month, Mr. Christie said he had directed the state’s Department of Human Services to not resettle any Syrian refugees in New Jersey and that nonprofit organizations were to notify the state of any Syrian placements in New Jersey.
The practical meaning of the governor’s position isn’t clear. The U.S. Department of State oversees the screening and resettlement of refugees. States, however, have a role in passing federal dollars to local charities working on the efforts.
The Christie administration began a preliminary assessment of how much authority the state has in providing federal assistance to refugee groups but hasn’t made a final determination, senior officials said…read more.
Wall Street Journal