Noted: Two University of Wisconsin-Madison immigration experts are questioning whether states have the authority under the U.S. Constitution to reject placement of Syrian refugees.
“I think, at this point, there’s a widely held consensus that states do not have the authority to decide they are going to reject a specific nationality of refugees,” said Stacy Taeuber, director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at the UW Law School.
Sara McKinnon, an assistant professor of communication arts and expert on political refugees and asylum, said it’s also important to note the extensive screening of refugees prior to their admittance into the resettlement program, which can take up to 18 months.