The Obama administration has warned governors that they do not have the legal authority to refuse Syrian refugees.
It has been revealed that 680,000 immigrants from Muslim countries have come to the U.S. in the last five years.
The figure is higher than the entire population of Washington, DC, and will repeat itself in the next five years unless immigration policies are changed, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The figures were released as the Office of Refugee Resettlement told resettlement officials that states cannot deny benefits and services to refugees based on their nationality or religion, meaning Syrians cannot be discriminated against.
States that do not comply with the requirement would be breaking the law and could be subject to enforcement action, including suspension or termination of the federally funded program, according to the letter.
The letter, signed by the director of the federal resettlement office, Robert Carey, came after more than two dozen governors, mostly Republicans, vowed to block efforts to resettle Syrian refugees in their states following the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris.
In the House, lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to erect higher hurdles for Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
It’s estimated that 2,200 Syrian refugees have been allowed in over the last four years. Obama has outlined a goal of bringing 10,000 more Syrian refugees to the U.S. during the current budget year.
The House bill would add a requirement for the Homeland Security secretary, along with the head of the FBI and the director of national intelligence, to certify that each refugee being admitted poses no security threat.
Read More: Obama tells US officials they CANNOT block Syrian refugees from settling in states
