Faith groups urge Gov. Bill Lee to accept refugees in Tennessee as deadline looms

As the deadline approaches, religious Tennesseans are urging Gov. Bill Lee to continue allowing refugees to resettle in the state. 

Tennessee has welcomed refugees — a vetted group of people who fear persecution in their home countries — for decades. Unlike years past, state and local governments now have to declare in writing their willingness to participate in the federal resettlement program.

Lee, as of Monday afternoon, had yet to make a decision, said Chris Walker, the governor's spokesperson. 

But the clock is still running. 

President Donald Trump made the change via a Sept. 26 executive order. It gave the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 90 days to develop a process that determines which state and local governments have given written consent.

That deadline falls on Christmas Day, or soon after if weekends and federal holidays are not counted toward the 90 days. 

With time running out, religious groups are writing to Lee, asking him to permit refugee resettlement in the state. Some made appeals to Lee's religious beliefs, which he often brings up. The Republican governor is a Christian who attends a Biblically conservative, nondenominational church in Williamson County.

Who is urging the governor to accept refugees in Tennessee?

World Relief, one of the faith-based resettlement agencies operating in Tennessee, teamed up with the Evangelical Immigration Table to send letters to 14 governors. The letter to Lee was signed by 659 evangelicals in Tennessee.  

"Tennessee evangelical churches and ministries have been active in serving newly arrived refugees for decades, and we pray you will not restrict the ability for us to love our global neighbors in this way," the Dec. 9 letter states. 

The committee that organizes the annual Community Relations Seder in Nashville is urging Tennesseans to reach out to Lee, asking him to keep refugee resettlement in the state.

"Judaism, and all faith communities, teach that everyone is entitled to dignity and honor, and we must welcome the stranger in our midst. This is especially true at this time of year," an email signed by Deborah Oleshansky, director of community relations for the Jewish Federation & Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, said.

Two groups are also delivering letters to the governor's office this week. The Southern Christian Coalition intends to drop its letter off Wednesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, they had collected 158 signatures from across the state. The group is also creating an online tool so Tennesseans can keep emailing the governor up until the deadline.    

Another, signed by more than 160 faith leaders and backed by the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, was expected to be delivered Tuesday. 

"We are in a worldwide refugee crisis," the Dec. 17 letter states. "If we choose to close our doors to resettling refugees, we are abdicating our moral responsibility during this critical time. In this moment, we need our governor to clearly and proactively announce that refugees are and will continue to be welcome in Tennessee." 

What about local governments? 

The aim of the change is to provide better coordination on refugee resettlement between the federal government and state and local governments, the executive order states. 

Some local governments across Tennessee have already agreed to accept refugees. 

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero sent a Nov. 11 letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that consents to welcoming refugees. Nashville Mayor John Cooper also gave consent in a Nov. 22 letter addressed to Pompeo. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris plans to send a letter to Pompeo on Wednesday, consenting to accepting refugees. 

But those invested in the issue say the governor still has the final say on whether refugees are resettled in the Tennessee.

What is the political climate like in the U.S. and Tennessee?

Refugee resettlement has become a contentious political issue as Trump continues to tighten restrictions on immigration, including legal avenues like the refugee program. 

While the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama set a historically high annual cap of 110,000 refugees for fiscal year 2017, the Republican Trump administration has swung the other direction, lowering the number year-over-year. The cap is expected to drop for fiscal year 2020 to 18,000.

Refugee resettlement is also contentious on the state level. Tennessee is currently suing the federal government over it. 

The lawsuit, filed at the request of the state legislature by attorneys at a Michigan-based law firm, asserts the federal government is forcing states to pay for resettlement costs while violating the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals recently rejected it, potentially setting the stage for a U.S. Supreme Court battle if the justices take it up.

The approaching deadline is making leaders of resettlement agencies worried for the future of their work, too.

Judy Orr, executive director of Catholic Charities of Tennessee, spoke to that unease in an October interview with The Tennessean. Catholic Charities of Tennessee is one of the four resettlement agencies working in the state. 

"The staff, of course, is nervous and concerned because this is work they love, and they don't want to stop doing it because they believe in it," Orr said, at the time. 

Reporters Tyler Whetstone and Katherine Burgess contributed to this report. 

Reach Holly Meyer at hmeyer@tennessean.com or 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.