Court blocks Trump's plan to let states, local governments reject refugees

Washington — A federal judge in Maryland on Wednesday blocked a directive by President Donald Trump that would allow states and local governments to reject the resettlement of refugees in their communities. The ruling is a temporary blow to the White House's concerted efforts to dramatically overhaul the nation's decades-old refugee program. Judge Peter Messitte of the U.S. District Court in Maryland granted a request made in November by several refugee resettlement groups to prohibit officials from implementing an executive order issued in September that required states and local governments to provide written consent to the relocation of refugees from around the world to their jurisdictions.-- More...