The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is suing Governor Mike Pence to stop him from blocking federal funds that help Syrian refugees move to Indiana. The ACLU is seeking a preliminary injunction on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, a nonprofit corporation that assists refugees with federal money funneled through the state.

Indiana ACLU legal director Ken Falk says the governor’s actions are unconstitutional and violate equal protection laws and civil rights statutes. Falk also says states do not have the right to circumvent decisions made by the federal government.

One Syrian family planning to move to Indiana was recently turned away because of the governor’s actions and relocated to Connecticut.

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, the governor’s office reiterates that Pence is confident in his authority to block funding for Syrian refugees. It says Pence will not “reverse course” until Congress and the president’s administration “address security gaps” in the refugee relocation program. Pence also said that “caution and compassion are not mutually exclusive.”