Federal Appeals Court Rejects Indiana’s Efforts to Block Syrian Refugee Resettlement

CHICAGO — A federal appeals court today affirmed a district court ruling that blocked Indiana's effort to prevent resettlement of Syrian refugee families. The ruling from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals stems from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration. The ACLU is challenging Gov. Mike Pence's attempts to interfere with resettlement of Syrian refugees, in violation of the Constitution and federal law.

“A court has once again rejected Indiana’s efforts to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees. This ruling is a stinging rebuke of Gov. Mike Pence’s anti-refugee actions,” said Omar Jadwat, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.

The case, Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. v. Mike Pence, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

“The Court of Appeals’ decision underscores what we have said throughout this litigation. Gov. Pence may not constitutionally or legally discriminate against a particular nationality of refugees that are extensively vetted by the federal government,” said Ken Falk, legal director of the ACLU of Indiana.

The ruling is at: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/exodus-refugee-immigration-inc-v-mike-pence-et-al-appeal

More information is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/exodus-refugee-immigration-inc-v-mike-pence-et-al