We posted on the unhappy Iraqi refugees in Baltimore on Nov. 5th. Now, comes a new article with a correction. It wasn’t the International Rescue Committee that dropped the ball with this group of Iraqi professionals, but Lutheran Social Services.
The family is a client of Lutheran Social Services (LSS), not the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as was originally reported in the story.
However, go back to my original post and note it was an IRC representative who said the Iraqis had “unrealistic expectations.” I still want to know who gave them those expectations?
I can only surmise that the IRC wanted a correction to the original story so they aren’t linked with this particular unhappy Iraqi. It was all the fault of LSS. So how is it that they dropped the ball?
A local “restructuring” of a refugee-resettlement contractor, plus a seasonal influx of refugees, may have contributed to the troubles Iraqi refugees have recently complained about in Baltimore. Their case managers have also faced longer processes for getting them things such as food stamps and I.D. cards, aid workers say.
A “restructuring” eh? They must have been suspended for past shoddy work.
Susan Gundlach, director for community integration for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, says a “monitoring” of its Baltimore office found problems with the way services were being delivered. “There wasn’t anything glaring,” Gundlach says, but the findings led to a “restriction” on refugee resettlement beginning Aug. 1.
August first, what a coincidence, I’m wondering if the Lutheran Immigration folks were suspended in August because of this story featured in the Baltimore Sun about a disabled Iraqi refugee not being properly cared for by LSS.
Reforms needed:
I’m starting to see a pattern. Refugee contractor makes news that is not the usual happy puff piece, and wham, suspended till they get themselves straightened out. Don’t you think the State Department could figure out a more efficient system to monitor its 10 big contractors and their nearly 400 subcontractors before the refugees end up in the newspaper. Or better still, stop contracting unaccountable non-profits in the first place. Maybe the whole program should be run by a refugee office in each state?
Endnote: LSS is messing up with its Iraqi refugees in New Hampshire too.