No, State Governors Can’t Refuse To Accept Syrian Refugees

[branford]

36. I'm also a practicing attorney, and I would like to remind you of the concept of federalism.

Governors do not answer to the president, and states do not have assist federal authorities in most matters.

Although states certainly cannot set immigration policy, they can refuse to allocate any funds for resettlement and other support and prohibit state employees, including the police, from cooperating with federal authorities in any way, rendering federal efforts to admit refugees extremely difficult and burdensome (Congress can also refuse to approve of any funds for refugee resettlement).

States can also challenge certain refugee programs and authority in court (just like they've done with Obama's immigration policies where they've currently prevailed with an national injunction), and governors' opposition, often strongly supported by their individual state constituencies, could very well help improve Republican electoral hopes nationwide, and force the president and Democrats to expend a great deal of political capital to sustain refugee resettlement efforts. If, God forbid, anyone admitted as a refugee was involved in terrorism, the people will solely blame President Obama and the Democrats. How do like the sound of President Trump, Cruz or Rubio?