PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Gov. Kristi Noem has notified the Trump administration that South Dakota will continue to accept refugees who are resettled in the United States next year.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in September that allows states and local governments to opt out of the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. Before that, the federal government was only required to consult with states.
Noem’s consent ends on Dec. 31, 2020, but she said she reserves the right to withdraw that consent. Local governments in the state can also opt out.
The resettlement program will handle a maximum of 18,000 refugees next year after the Trump administration reduced the current cap of 30,000.
South Dakota is among nearly two dozen other states that have consented to take refugees in 2020.
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