This week The Spring Institute (a government contractor) is holding forums in Nebraska to get a handle on the number of secondary migrants arriving in Nebraska. ‘Secondary migrants’ is the term used by insiders to describe refugees resettled elsewhere who then migrate, usually following jobs, to another city or state. And, since governments at all levels need to know what sort of support (read welfare, schools, housing, health care, English lessons, etc) will be needed to back up their earnings, the federal government apparently hired the Spring Institute to help them figure that out.
From the World-Herald:
In a sign that Nebraska remains a magnet for newcomers from other countries, a national delegation is coming here to learn more about the impact of refugee populations.
The Cornhusker State is among a handful selected to host community forums for the Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, which acts on behalf of the federally funded Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Public sessions run Tuesday through Friday in both urban and rural areas. Teams of institute officials also are meeting privately with health care providers, educators, police, politicians and policy-makers to get an accurate picture of successes and challenges faced by communities that integrate refugees.
Immigrants, come on over to Nebraska because we’ve got the “good life!”
Those who work with refugees expect the flow to continue to change the fabric of Nebraska.
“We hope they’re hearing that Nebraska is the ‘good life’ and that there are opportunities here,” said Reckling [Todd Reckling of the State Department of Health and Human Services]
Other places that must be encouraging the movement of immigrants and refugees to their states are also getting forums soon.
Besides Nebraska, the teams will visit cities in Texas, North Dakota, Colorado and Kansas.
This Nebraska discussion got me thinking of the Grand Island/Swift/Somali debacle last year where the Somalis tried to get the mayor canned. So I’ll now write another post about a politically active Ethnic Community Base Organization in Nebraska.