Press Room

Commissioner Adrian Garcia Condemns Governor Abbot’s decision to deny refugees

Garcia also plans to participate in Press Conference Tuesday Morning at Catholic Charities

Harris County, TX—Late in the afternoon Friday Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas would become the first state in the U.S. to reject any additional refugees under President Trump’s policy to allow individual states to determine whether to continue to accept them. Using the excuse that, in his opinion, the Federal Government’s lack of Immigration Reform is to blame, Abbott is placing D.C. orthodoxy ahead of our shared Texas values -- by arguing that Texas “Texas cannot consent,” to refugee resettlement this fiscal year, he said.

Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia condemns the decision by the Governor and issues the following statement:

“Harris County has a long and storied history of accepting refugees into our community. Refugees living here have contributed in countless ways and have helped our county become the diverse, vibrant place in which we love to live and work. This cruel decision by Governor Abbott to make Texas the only state in the union to deny refugees from resettling here is not only disappointing; it does not represent who we are as Texans.”

“Texas is a can-do state. We call on the Governor to reconsider this reprehensible decision.”

“I also echo the words of Pope Francis, who said recently of refugees, ‘we cannot remain insensitive, our hearts deadened, before the misery of so many innocent people. We must not fail to weep. We must not fail to respond.’ I ask that the Governor reflects on the Pope’s comments during his next attendance at Mass.”

In addition to the above statement, Commissioner Garcia will attend and have additional comments at a press conference to be held Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (2900 Louisiana St., Houston, TX 77006).

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