HOUSTON – President Donald Trump signed an executive order last September that gave states and local communities the right to opt-out of the refugee resettlement program.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was the only governor to make that choice while 18 other Republican Governors have already opted in.
As immigration advocates challenged that order, a federal judge issued an injunction to stop it, saying the order “does not appear to serve the public interest.”
Houston area agencies agreed.
“The decision was actually based on poor or inaccurate information and we really think it’s our role to share good information in terms of the positive impact both economically and otherwise that refugees have on our community,” said Jeff Watkins, the Vice President of Social Equity and Inclusion for the YMCA of Greater Houston
Also, on this week’s program is Ali Al Sudani, the Chief Programs Officer of Interfaith Ministries for Houston. Sudani said he came to the United States as a refugee from Iraq.
“The refugee resettlement program is a program that is regulated and controlled by the federal agencies,” Sudani said. “Refugees go through a waiting process of from 18 to 36 months and they come here, we know who is coming, and we provide services and they are active members of their communities.”
The facts about the U.S. Refugee Resettlement program is one topic on this week’s Houston Newsmakers. Here is a link to the Houston Refugee Consortium and the six agencies working to resettle refugees. https://matchouston.org/presenter/houston-refugee-consortium
The XFL professional football league failed 19 years ago but it’s back and ready to kick off the 2020 season on Feb. 8. Jeffrey Pollack is the president and chief operating officer of the XFL and on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall, he said lessons learned the first time and a media plan that will televise all of the games gives the 2020 XFL a much better chance.
“We’re not competing with the NFL,” Pollack said. “We’re doing football our way. We start when the NFL finishes and we’re playing when there is no other football being played. We have the best players available to us at that time."
Brian Michael Cooper is the President of the Houston Roughriders and says the quality of play will leave fans quite satisfied. Much more about the XFL on this week’s Houston Newsmakers.
Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall airs Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
More Information:
- Jeff Watkins, VP Social Equity & Inclusion, YMCA of Greater Houston, International Services
- Website: http://bit.ly/2TJctfd
- Phone: 713-339-9015
- Twitter: @YMCAHouston
- Ali Al Sudani, Chief Programs Officer, Interfaith Ministries for Houston
- Website: http://bit.ly/373lvaF
- Phone:713-533-4900
- Twitter: @InterfaithMin
- Jeffrey Pollack, President, Chief Operating Officer, XFL
- Website: http://bit.ly/2ucmpDe
- Phone: 203-989-3399
- Twitter: @XFL2020
- Email: Info@xfl.com
- Brian Michael Cooper, President, Houston Roughriders, XFL
- Phone: 713-589-8687
- Twitter: @XFLRoughnecks
- Email: Info@xflroughnecks.com