Defying Christie Ban, Syrian Refugees Settle In N.J.

A family of seven on Monday became the first to arrive for resettlement in New Jersey since Gov. Chris Christie said he would work to prevent Syrian refugees from settling in the state.

The international aid group Church World Service confirmed that a Syrian family it is helping arrived late Monday afternoon, and told nj.com that there has been no indication that state officials plan to handle this family any differently than previous refugees.

Christie announced last month that he sent a letter to President Obama, notifying him that New Jersey will not accept any refugees from Syria in the wake of the terrorist attacks that took place in Paris last week.

The family of seven quickly moved into a house near Paterson, according to The New York Times.

>>Related: Syrian Refugees In N.J.: Who Are They, And Where Do They Live?

In a press statement from his office, Christie says that his chief concern in accepting refugees from Syria is the federal government’s “failure” to notify New Jersey, New Jersey’s office of Homeland Security and the appropriate law enforcement entities, and coordinate with the state and these agencies, before refugees arrive in New Jersey.

“Coupled with the federal government’s inability to conduct the adequate screening of refugees coming into the country as FBI Director Comey testified to, the residents of New Jersey will not be made irresponsibly vulnerable,” according to the statement.

The statement came two months after nj.com quoted Christie as saying “the United States should play their role” in taking in Syrian refugees.

NJ.com reported New Jersey cannot outright ban refugees from settling here; immigration is handled by the federal government.

It’s not known if state or local officials will present any bureaucratic roadblocks when the family begins to sign up for services, said Will Haney, associate director for external relations for the Immigration and Refugee Program at Church World Service, according to the report.

Those services would likely include school for the children, and temporary emergency Medicaid health insurance for the family, according to the report.

Here is a map of refugees who have settle in New Jersey. Click on the markers to learn about the refugees’ story:

Here is the list of states with Syrian refugees provided by the Department of State:

1. California 252
2. Texas 242
3. Michigan 207
4. Arizona 168
5. Illinois 164
6. Pennsylvania 161
7. Florida 123
8. Kentucky 101
9. New Jersey 92
10. Ohio 82
11. Massachusetts 72
12. Georgia 66
13. North Carolina 56
14. Connecticut 51
15. New York 51
16. Tennessee 42
17. Indiana 39
18. Maryland 39
19. Idaho 36
20. Washington 36
21. Missouri 29
22. Virgina 24
23. Louisiana 14
24. Utah 12
25. Colorado 9
26. Kansas 8
27. Nevada 8
28. Minnesota 7
29. New Hampshire 3
30. Maine 1
31. New Mexico 6
32. Oregon 6
33. Oklahoma 3
34. Wisconsin 2
35. Arkansas 1
36. West Virginia 1
37. Alabama 0
38. Alaska 0
39. Delaware 0
40. Hawaii 0
41. Iowa 0
42. Mississippi 0
43. Montana 0
44. Nebraska 0
45. North Dakota 0
46. Rhode Island 0
47. South Carolina 0
48. South Dakota 0
49. Vermont 0
50. Wyoming 0

Photo: Women and children among Syrian refugees striking at the platform of Budapest Keleti railway station. Refugee crisis. Budapest, Hungary, Central Europe, 4 September 2015. (3)“ by Mstyslav Chernov - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Women_and_children_among_Syrian_refugees_striking_at_the_platform_of_Budapest_Keleti_railway_station._Refugee_crisis._Budapest,_Hungary,_Central_Europe,_4_September_2015._(3).jpg#/media/File:Women_and_children_among_Syrian_refugees_striking_at_the_platform_of_Budapest_Keleti_railway_station._Refugee_crisis._Budapest,_Hungary,_Central_Europe,_4_September_2015._(3).jpg