Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement
States and Localities Must Consent to Refugee Resettlement
What it does
Agencies must obtain written consent from both the State and the local government before resettling refugees and publicly release those consents.
Real-world impact
- May prevent refugee placement in states or localities that withhold written consent.
- Requires public posting of which states and localities have agreed to receive refugees.
- Federal officials must consult and notify the President if placing refugees without consent.
Topics
Summary
The order requires that, with limited exceptions, the Federal Government resettle refugees only in jurisdictions where both the State and the local government have given written consent.
Within 90 days, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services must create and run a process to determine, implement, and publicly release those consents, and to take consent into account when placing refugees.
If consent is withheld, refugees generally should not be placed there unless a specific legal exception applies and the Secretary of State notifies the President with reasons.
Questions, answered
Ask questions about this executive order and its implications. Try:
- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
- “What are the practical implications of this order?”