RELEASE: TN House Committee Advances Hateful Anti-Refugee Resolution
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2020
TN House Committee Advances Hateful Anti-Refugee Resolution
Continuing her years long campaign to end refugee resettlement, Rep. Weaver's resolution condemns Governor's actions
NASHVILLE - Today, the Departments and Agencies Subcommittee of the Tennessee General Assembly House of Representatives advanced HJR0741 (Weaver), a resolution to condemn Governor Lee's decision to welcome refugees and to challenge his authority to do so. The resolution advanced by voice vote.
This is not the first time Representative Weaver has challenged another branch of government’s authority to resettle refugees in Tennessee. She was the house sponsor of the 2016 resolution that initiated litigation to challenge the federal government’s authority to resettle refugees. The lawsuit has been thrown out by two federal courts, and an appeal to have it reviewed by the full panel of judges in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals was also rejected.
The following is a statement from Judith Clerjeune, TIRRC Votes Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager:
"Just in time for another election, a handful of legislators are returning to their classic hateful playbook - scapegoating refugees. Facing a primary challenge, Representative Weaver is trying to appeal to the most hateful voters in her district, hoping she can win her re-election bid by targeting some of the world’s most vulnerable people. But, her constituents deserve a representative who will work to meaningfully improve their lives, not just recycle a failed resolution from five years ago.
Despite legislators attempts to cast these bills and resolutions as simply a matter of clarifying constitutional responsibilities, the real intent and impact of these efforts are crystal clear: keeping refugees from finding safety and opportunity in Tennessee.
We urge members of the House of Representatives to reject these election year politics. Tennesseans, including refugees, want to see their legislators come together to improve our communities by investing in better jobs, schools, and neighborhoods for all of us - not use hateful tactics to divide our communities.
Context:
In September 2019, President Trump issued an executive order, requiring governors and county executives where refugees are resettled to opt-in to continuing refugee resettlement in their communities. In December, Governor Lee provided consent for refugee resettlement in Tennessee. In all, more than 40 governors, including 19 Republicans, and hundreds of counties across the country granted consent. A temporary nationwide injunction on the EO was placed EO 1388 on January 15, 2020 by Judge Peter J. Messitte of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
While the 2020 legislative session is focused on undermining the Governor's consent, efforts to erode support for refugees have long been tactics used by a fringe group of far right extremists.
In 2011, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Refugee Absorptive Capacity Act, which required the Tennessee Office for Refugees to provide quarterly reports to state and local governments about resettlement.
In 2013, Tennessee General Assembly commissions a report by the state fiscal review committee on the “federal cost-shifting” to the state which found that refugees were a net economic gain for the state. While the state had expended approximately $753 million on refugees and their descendants, it was estimated that the state had earned at least $1.386 billion during the same period from refugees and their descendants.
In 2016, Representative Weaver was the House sponsor of the resolution that initiated Tennessee v. United States - a lawsuit that challenged the federal government’s authority to resettle refugees.
###