More Than 40 Texas Rabbis Sign Letter Decrying Governor's Stance On Refugee Resettlement

AUSTIN, TX — More than 40 rabbis from across Texas have signed a letter decrying a threat by Gov. Greg Abbott to have Texas withdraw from the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and stop taking in refugees from Syria and elsewhere for resettlement.

In the midst of election season on Wednesday, Abbott sent notice to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that it would stop accepting refugees unless added assurance is made they don't pose a threat to the states's security.

"The State of Texas today sent a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) giving official notice of its intention to withdraw from the federal refugee resettlement program should ORR not unconditionally approve Texas’ state plan by Sept. 30th," his office said in an advisory issued Wednesday. "Today’s letter comes after ORR’s unwillingness to approve Texas’ updated state refugee plan, which would require national security officials to ensure that refugees do not pose a security threat to Texas."

Reached by Patch, ORR officials supplied a letter sent to Abbott on November 2015 that outlined the rigorous series of checks on refugees' backgrounds that have long been in place.

In reaction to Abbott's hard stance on refugee resettlement, HIAS — one of nine resettlement organizations in the U.S. — sent a letter to Abbott signed by 43 Texas rabbis in support of welcoming refugees and urging him to not withdraw from the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

“Texas is a big state with a big heart and a history of welcoming refugees,” said HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield in a prepared statement. “For HIAS, this history goes back to the late 1800s and the Galveston Movement, when Texas welcomed Jews who fled ethnic cleansing in czarist Russia. Today, with more refugees resettling in Texas than any other state, Governor Abbott announced he is breaking this tradition."

The Handbook of Texas OnlineHandbook of Texas Online describes the Galveston Movement as "one of the greatest philanthropic events of the century," that occurred between 1907 and 1914. The move diverted Jews fleeing the pogroms of Russia and eastern Europe away from congested communities along the Atlantic coast to the interior of the United States, as detailed by the handbook.

"The Jewish Immigrants' Information Bureau directed the movement as a means of preventing an anticipated wave of anti-Semitism on the Eastern seaboard, which might lead to immigration restrictions," the narrative reads. "Several benevolent groups tried to find a southern port of entry to disperse the burgeoning population."

Despite Abbott's threat, refugees will continue to seek refuge in Texas, Hetfield assured. But he noted the sadness that visited refugee advocates related to Abbott's stance on those escaping oppression, war and persecution in a 21st-century diaspora given his aversion to welcome them into the Texas fold.

"Refugees will continue to be resettled to Texas, but without cooperation from the state," Hetfield said. "We are saddened by the false message Governor Abbott's decision sends to the world about Texas and about the United States, which have long traditions of welcoming refugees as a source of strength, not a cause for fear. HIAS stands firmly with the 43 Texas rabbis who are urging Governor Abbott and the state of Texas to continue welcoming refugees.”

The letter from the Texas rabbis reads, in part: “Since its founding, the United States has offered refuge and protection to the world’s most vulnerable… Our relatives and friends found safety in this country, and in the great state of Texas.”

HIAS is the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees— including women and children, and ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities—whose lives are in danger for being who they are, according to the organization's description. "Guided by our values and history, HIAS helps refugees rebuild their lives in safety and advocates to ensure that all displaced people are treated with dignity," they add.

The full text of the letter provided by HIAS:

Texas Rabbis in Support of Welcoming Refugees

Dear Governor Abbott,

We, rabbis from across Texas, urge you to continue to welcome refugees and not withdraw from the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. At this moment, with the number of refugees and displaced persons at its highest in recorded history, it is more important than ever for Texas to protect and welcome refugees.

Since its founding, the United States has offered refuge and protection to the world’s most vulnerable. Time and time again, those refugees were Jews. Whether they were welcomed to Texas by the "Galveston Movement" after fleeing Czarist Russia, or whether they came later following the horrors of the Holocaust, or the persecution in Soviet Russia or Iran, our relatives and friends found safety in this country, and in the great state of Texas.

Refugees in Texas are taxpayers, consumers, business owners, and leaders in a broad range of industries across the state. It is imperative that refugees in Texas continue to be fully welcome and supported in their new homes and that they receive the critical health and social services promised to them.

As Rabbis, we believe that every life is sacred, and every person is created in the image of God. Our biblical tradition teaches us to “welcome the stranger” with compassion, and to care for those in need. We strongly support refugee resettlement in our local communities, and we call on you to uphold the legacy of a country and state that welcomes refugees.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Daniel Aronson, Houston

Rabbi Lev Baesh, Austin

Rabbi Kerry Baker, Austin

Rabbi Anne Belford, Houston

Rabbi Matthew Berger, The Woodlands

Rabbi Jan Brahma, The Woodlands

Rabbi Amy Cohen, Austin

Rabbi Kathryn Cook, Austin

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, Colleyville

Rabbi Barry Diamond, Dallas

Rabbi Gideon Estes, Houston

Cantor Vicky Glikin, Dallas

Rabbi Michael Goldstein, Houston

Rabbi Steven Gross, Houston

Rabbi David Gruber, Frisco

Rabbi Laura Harari, Waco

Rabbi Oren Hayon, Houston

Rabbi Kimberly Herzog Cohen, Dallas

Rabbi Daniel Horwitz, Houston

Rabbi Samantha Kahn, Houston

Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Dallas

Rabbi Neal Katz, Tyler

Rabbi Marshal Klaven, Galveston

Rabbi Claudio Kogan, Mcallen

Rabbi Dr. Shira Lander, Dallas

Rabbi Jill Levy, Houston

Rabbi Sue Levy, Houston

Rabbi Emeritus Ralph Mecklenburger, Fort Worth

Rabbi Debra Robbins, Dallas

Rabbi David Rosen, Houston

Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, College Station

Rabbi Samantha Safran, Houston

Rabbi Robert Sharff, Spring

Rabbi Laura Sheinkopf, Houston

Rabbi Samuel Stahl, San Antonio

Rabbi Seth Stander, Houston

Rabbi David Stern, Dallas

Rabbi Joshua Taub, Beaumont

Rabbi Daniel Utley, Dallas

Rabbi Stefan Weinberg, Plano

Rabbi Benjamin Zeidman, El Paso

Rabbi Elana Zelony, Richardson

Rabbi Brian Zimmerman, Fort Worth

>>> Photo via governor's office