Texas Governor Greg Abbott celebrates this holiday season.

Texas will not accept any Syrian refugees fleeing their civil war-torn country, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday, specifically citing the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris last week and a separate shooting in Texas earlier this year.

The “separate shooting in Texas” he’s talking about is an event in Garland, sponsored by crazy people, to have a contest to draw a picture of the prophet Muhammed.

“Given the tragic attacks in Paris and the threats we have already seen, Texas cannot participate in any program that will result in Syrian refugees – any one of whom could be connected to terrorism – being resettled in Texas,” Abbott said.

I checked Google but I didn’t find anywhere that he had demanded that no Christians settle in Texas after the Oklahoma City bombing.I think it would be a nice gesture to have the Governor read his proclamation while standing behind the manger scene on the state capitol lawn.Of course, he cannot stop the refugees from coming. He can only deny them state funds. He wrote the letter just to be mean. Lord knows, however, that he doesn’t need the practice.

UPDATE: Here ya go. Governors can’t overrule Presidents.

Just in case there is any doubt, President Obama has explicit statutory authorization to accept foreign refugees into the United States. Under the Refugee Act of 1980, the president may admit refugees who face “persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion” into the United States, and the president’s power to do so is particularly robust if they determine that an “unforeseen emergency refugee situation” such as the Syrian refugee crisis exists.

So shove it, Abbott. And, by the way, this country doesn’t like any Republican politician from Texas or even their brothers. (Cruz has 15% in Iowa.)