High court won’t hear Tennessee challenge of refugee program

NASHVILLE — The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear a failed challenge of the federal refugee resettlement program by Tennessee’s Republican-led Legislature.

The court filed its denial earlier this week, letting a lower court ruling stand.

The Legislature asked the court to consider its challenge, which claimed the state shouldn’t be forced to spend money on Medicaid and other services for refugees.

The petition claimed lower courts wrongly ruled the Legislature lacks legal standing in the case.

The filing follows Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s decision in January to continue resettling refugees after President Donald Trump’s administration offered the option for states and local governments to stop. A court has blocked that option.

Lee’s decision spurred some Republican state lawmakers to file bills to limit his authority on refugees, but those didn’t pass amid a reduced scope of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tennessee stopped participating in the refugee program in 2008.

Catholic Charities of Tennessee administers a program under a law that says if a state withdraws, the federal government can pick a nonprofit to administer federal money for cash and medical assistance and social services to eligible refugees.