Henderson, other Nevada cities consent to refugee resettlement
Henderson will continue to welcome refugees for resettlement, according to a December letter from Mayor Debra March.
The brief Dec. 16 letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo comes on the heels of a September executive order from President Donald Trump establishing that refugees are not allowed to resettle in a state or municipality without written consent.
Henderson City Council members unanimously ratified the letter Tuesday night.
“It’s important to remember that this is not a new program,” March read from a statement during the meeting. “It’s a historic program that has helped refugees for many decades.”
Some who attended the City Council meeting supported putting the issue on the ballot so all Henderson residents could weigh in.
In a letter to March on Nov. 14, Deacon Thomas Roberts, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, urged the mayor to continue accepting refugees. Catholic Charities operates a refugee resettlement program.
Since 2014, about 2,800 refugees have resettled in Clark County, Roberts wrote.
In addition to Henderson, the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Reno welcome refugees. Gov. Steve Sisolak sent Pompeo a letter Dec. 18 consenting to resettlement of refugees in Nevada.
“We need not forget that refugees fled for their lives after enduring persecution, war and dire humanitarian conditions,” Sisolak wrote.
Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.