Texas will bar federal refugee resettlement, Gov. Greg Abbott told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a letter Friday, making the state the first in the nation to refuse refugees under a new Trump administration requirement requiring state and local governments to opt in to the resettlement program.

More refugees have settled in Texas in recent years than in any other state in the country and Abbott's decision breaks with that of dozens of other governors, including fellow Republicans.

Governors of 42 states have so far agreed to accept refugees during the current fiscal year that goes through September in accordance with the new federal policy, which was announced last fall. Refugees, who are typically fleeing war and other perilous conditions in other countries, are extensively vetted by the federal government before they are resettled in the U.S.

Abbott cited the number of migrants appearing at the southern border as a reason the state would close its doors to refugees.

"In addition to accepting refugees all these years, Texas has been left by Congress to deal with disproportionate migration issues resulting from a broken federal immigration system," Abbott wrote.

The governor has faced pressure in recent weeks from advocates and some state lawmakers to consent to resettlement in the state but until Friday remained mum on the issue as the Jan. 21 opt-in deadline approached. States and localities must consent to resettlement each fiscal year under the new policy.

"At this time, the state and non-profit organizations have a responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are already here, including refugees, migrants, and the homeless – indeed, all Texans," Abbott said in the letter to Pompeo. "Texas has carried more than its share in assisting the refugee resettlement process and appreciates that other states are available to help with these efforts."

Abbott has previously fought to have Texas excluded from the federal refugee resettlement program. He sued the federal government in 2016 to prevent Syrian refugees from settling in the state. After the lawsuit was dismissed, Abbott withdrew Texas from the refugee program, though the federal government worked with local agencies and nonprofits to continue to place refugees in Texas, according to The Texas Tribune.