The Latest: Pence’s office: Syrian move was protective step

INDIANAPOLIS – The Latest on a federal appeals court upholding an order blocking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s Syrian refugee order (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s office says the Republican governor had “the safety and security” of Indiana residents in mind when he issued an order last year barring state agencies from helping Syrian refugees resettle in the state.

Pence spokeswoman Kara Brooks issued a short statement Monday after a three-judge panel for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago agreed with a preliminary injunction a federal judge issued in February blocking Pence’s order.

That judge found that Pence’s directive “clearly discriminates” against refugees from the war-torn nation.

Brooks says Pence, who’s now Donald Trump’s running mate, issued his order because of last November’s terrorist attacks in Paris and because she says the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security had “acknowledged security gaps with regard to screening refugees from Syria.”

___

2:36 p.m.

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s order blocking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence from barring state agencies from helping Syrian refugees resettle in the state.

A three-judge panel for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Monday agreed with an injunction a federal judge issued in February. The judge found Pence’s directive “clearly discriminates” against refugees from the war-torn nation.

The appeals court says federal law doesn’t allow a governor “to deport to other states immigrants he deems dangerous.”

Donald Trump’s running mate, Pence, was among dozens of governors from mostly Republican states who tried to block Syrian refugees after the Paris terror attacks last November.

Indianapolis-based Exodus Refugee Immigration, which helps Syrian refugees with medical and social services and job training, challenged Pence’s order.