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Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. v. Mike Pence, et al

Location: Indiana
Last Update: October 3, 2016

What's at Stake

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Indiana, on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, filed suit against Governor Mike Pence and the secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to stop attempts to suspend resettlement of Syrian refugees, claiming the governor’s actions violate the United States Constitution and federal law.

The lawsuit, brought on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc., seeks an injunction to stop the governor from taking any actions to suspend, block or withhold aid from refugees or from Exodus. Exodus is a nonprofit corporation that receives federal money through the state’s Office of Refugee Programs, located within the Family and Social Services Administration, to assist in resettlement of federally approved and screened refugees. The funds are used to assist with employment training, English language education and other services. On February 29, 2016 a federal court denied Indiana’s effort to prevent resettlement of Syrian refugee families.

Exodus has settled 892 refugees, including some from Syria, in the past fiscal year, and is projected to settle approximately that number next year, including 19 Syrians approved for refugee status by the federal government that have been placed with Exodus and who are expected to arrive in Indiana in the next few weeks or months.

UPDATE October 3, 2016: The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling that blocked Indiana’s effort to prevent resettlement of Syrian refugee families. The ruling is here: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/exodus-refugee-immigration-inc-v-mike-pence-et-al-appeal

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