Texas threatens to 'exit' the federal refugee program over terrorist concerns

Texas, which has taken in more refugees than any state in the nation over the past year, is threatening to leave the federal refugee program if the Obama administration does not meet its security demands.

The dispute comes as the Obama administration has announced a new goal of resettling 110,000 refugees in the United States in the coming year, including an unspecified increase in the number from Syria.

In a letter Wednesday to Robert Carey, director of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said that unless Washington "unconditionally" approves the state's new plan controlling placements in Texas by September 30, the agency will "exit" the program.

Without an agreement, Texas would join Kansas and New Jersey in withdrawing state participation in the refugee program over the federal government's vetting procedures to screen out potential terrorists.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Texas-threatens-to-exit-the-federal-refugee-9236722.php