AUSTIN — Texas withdrew a federal court appeal Friday that aimed to block Syrian refugee resettlement in the state.

Aides to Attorney General Ken Paxton declined to say why the appeal was withdrawn.

The announcement, originally reported by the Houston Chronicle, could mark the end of a lengthy battle over the issue in Texas. The state sued the federal government in December over its Syrian refugee resettlement plans and has since been denied two temporary restraining orders to prevent the program from moving forward.

The state's lawsuit was dismissed by a federal court in June, then appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September.

The state's withdrawal comes days after a federal court blocked a similar policy by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Rebecca L. Robertson, legal and policy director for the ACLU of Texas, said it is clear attempts to ban resettlement of Syrian refugees is illegal, based on the multiple court rulings against the efforts.

"Apparently, Texas saw the writing on the wall. Federal courts have unanimously rejected bids by some states to discriminate based on a refugee's nationality as contrary to the Equal Protection Clause," Robertson said in a statement. "We call upon Texas to stop its pursuit of anti-refugee policies that are not only illegal, but contrary to fundamental American values of welcoming people regardless of nationality, race or religion and providing safe haven for families fleeing violence and war."

High-ranking state officials spoke out against the resettlement of Syrian refugees throughout the country following last year's terrorist attacks in Paris. Gov. Greg Abbott joined many other Republican governors in November in the effort, saying he would refuse to accept Syrian refugees in Texas.

Paxton had previously said in court documents that his reason for opposing Syrian resettlement in the state was because "terrorist organizations have infiltrated the very refugee program that is central to the dispute." Experts have said the likelihood of terrorists entering the U.S. through the refugee program is very small.