Governor Bentley Addresses Suing Feds Over Refugees

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/01/Gov.-Bentley.jpeg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:337;s:4:"file";s:25:"2016/01/Gov.-Bentley.jpeg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Gov.-Bentley-336x189.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Gov.-Bentley-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Gov.-Bentley-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Gov.-Bentley-554x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:554;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Gov.-Bentley-470x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"Gov.-Bentley-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Esther Ciammachilli
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:193790;s:14:"optimized_size";i:113385;s:7:"percent";d:41.490000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:53:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:65962;s:14:"optimized_size";i:27562;s:7:"percent";d:58.219999999999999;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley-336x189.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:14405;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10942;s:7:"percent";d:24.039999999999999;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley-600x337.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:37925;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24319;s:7:"percent";d:35.880000000000003;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley-300x300.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:21957;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15367;s:7:"percent";d:30.010000000000002;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley-554x311.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:29778;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19052;s:7:"percent";d:36.020000000000003;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/Gov.-Bentley-470x265.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:23763;s:14:"optimized_size";i:16143;s:7:"percent";d:32.07;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1660128075 
1452248131

Governor Robert Bentley announced Thursday he has filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging authorities violated the Refugee Act of 1980.  WBHM’s Esther Ciammachilli attended a press conference where Bentley talked about the suit.

Why is Governor Bentley Suing The Federal Government?

“Governor Bentley says he’s concerned about the existence of Syrian refugees in Alabama,” said Ciammachilli. Following Bentley’s executive order in November that forbids state agencies from accepting Syrian refugees, he wrote three letters to the White House demanding to know if the federal government had relocated any Syrian refugees to Alabama.  If they have, Bentley says he wants information on these refugees.

According to the Refugee Act of 1980, the federal government is required to provide information to any states that will be accepting refugees.

“Since Bentley’s letters went unanswered, he says there’s no way of knowing if there are in fact any Syrian refugees in Alabama,” Ciammachilli said. “He feels the federal government, specifically the Obama Administration, the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services, have violated the Refugee Act.”

Not The First Governor to Sue Over Refugees

Bentley’s actions aren’t unprecedented. Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott filed a similar lawsuit claiming he wasn’t adequately consulted on the relocation of six Syrian refugees in his state. The federal government said they did communicate. Following that response, Texas withdrew its request that temporarily barred refugee relocation.

Ciammachilli says these lawsuits have some similarities.

“Both governors feel they did not receive adequate communication, or any communication in Bentley’s case, regarding the relocation of these refugees,” said Ciammachilli. “However, they’re different because the federal government said they did contact Texas, whereas Alabama allegedly received no such correspondence.”

What’s Next?

Ciammachilli says the U.S. State Department has the last word when it comes to the relocation of any refugees, including those from Syria. “However they are required to communicate with state governments about this process as per the Refugee Act of 1980,” said Ciammachilli.

 

 

Asylum-seekers thought they were following the rules. Now some are told to start over

NPR has learned that dozens of immigrants across the U.S. have received letters notifying them that their asylum cases have been dismissed because they have not yet received a screening interview.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposts video of pastors saying women shouldn’t vote

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reposted the video profiling Christian Nationalist Pastor Doug Wilson, who opposes same-sex marriage.

Texas big game hunter killed while stalking African Cape buffalo

Asher Watkins had been tracking a cape buffalo for the kill when the animal instead turned its attack on the hunter.

4 people and 5 months in space, NASA’s Crew-10 mission safely returns to Earth

It took the capsule 17 hours to make the trip home, experiencing re-entry temperatures of around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit as it punched through the atmosphere following Friday's ISS undocking.

Authorities ID suspect in CDC shooting as a 30-year-old man from suburban Atlanta

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the man who opened fire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as Patrick Joseph White. White died and a police officer was shot and killed.

NFL preseason game ends early after serious injury to Detroit Lions’ Morice Norris

The Lions safety was in stable condition after he was attended to for about 20 minutes and taken off the field in an ambulance Friday, with the preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons ending early.

More Front Page Coverage