This comes as Alabama officials have sued the federal government over Syrian refugee resettlement, claiming they have not been sufficiently consulted. Last month, a judge dismissed a similar Texas lawsuit seeking to block the entrance of Syrian refugees. The Southern Poverty Law Center has criticized the Alabama lawsuit, saying Governor Robert Bentley’s “grandstanding is fueling xenophobia and helping to create an environment ripe for hate and violence.” A recent study finds hate crimes against Muslim Americans and U.S. mosques have tripled since the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.