Valles had good reason to be upset that Syrian refugees were resettled into Victorville without consultation from the federal government. In fact, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1522(a)(2)(A), federal agents responsible for administering the refugee resettlement program “shall consult regularly (not less often than quarterly) with State and local governments and private nonprofit voluntary agencies concerning the sponsorship process and the intended distribution of refugees among the States and localities before their placement in those States and localities.”
Either local officials were consulted in advance about the plan to resettle Syrian refugees in Victorville and have chosen — for whatever reason — to conceal that fact from the public, or federal law was ignored or violated. Either way, the public has a right to know.
Read the rest of Bob Dane’s guest opinion at The Victorville Daily Press here. (link corrected).