Catholics bemoan possible loss of funding for resettlement as numbers decline; ponzi scheme could collapse

As we have hypothesized on many previous occasions, “church” federal contractors don’t want the taxpayer money spigot turned off because they have grown dependent on your money to do their “charitable” work.   Apparently the number of refugees arriving has slowed due to enhanced security checks (good news indeed!)  and Catholics are wailing—we need our $700 per head to keep our offices open!

I don’t know that I have ever seen such an overt admission as this one about the connection between the refugee head count and the money.

From Catholic News Service:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) — The number of refugees taking shelter in the United States has slowed to a trickle following new security measures put in place by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Meanwhile, Catholic refugee resettlement offices across the country are left waiting, uncertain when the flow of refugees will begin again — and when it does, how many refugees may be allowed to enter the country.

[….]

Each year, the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services and its diocesan affiliates resettle between 27 percent and 28 percent of the total number authorized to come to the United States, with other aid organizations helping the rest.

An MRS staffer in Washington told Catholic News Service May 16 that of 80,000 authorized for entry this year, the agency and its diocesan affiliates expected to resettle 23,358 refugees. But because of the slow down, only 38 percent of the number authorized by Obama have entered the United States.

Delays in the refugee resettlement process are being caused by a backlog of security clearances and additional security “holds,” according to Larry Bartlett, acting director of the Office of Refugee Admissions for the State Department. The additional security measures are part of a larger series of security enhancements by the Homeland Security Department.

Agencies receive $700 per person to help with the resettlement process, providing vital services from the point of picking them up at the airport to helping them get settled into American life. This reimbursement is awarded only for the refugees who actually arrive.

Simply put, no new refugees means reduced funding for the aid organizations — and no reimbursement money to cover the expense of diocesan staff and services needed for refugees who are already here, until more refugees arrive.  [Sounds like a ponzi scheme!—ed]

Readers, the Refugee Resettlement program was originally set up with the understanding that it was to be a public-private partnership.  Now, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration and Refugee Services is almost completely funded with tax dollars.  Go here for example to their 2009 annual report (page 13) and note that on the income side of the ledger they received $58 million from government grants and contracts and collected $1.3 million from Catholic Relief Services (private donations).  That translates to 94% of all their funding is from YOUR taxes!

Go here to a post I wrote in February about what else (what other political issues) the USCCB uses your money for!

Asylum lawyer Jason Dzubow had this to say about the reduced number of refugees and the resultant loss of revenue to resettlement agencies due to increased security measures causing a slow-down in the refugee industry pipeline.

California Congressman wants answers to killing of Iranian refugees in Iraq

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher is calling for an investigation into the deaths of refugees and believes the US State Department is helping cover-up the killing of women and children.

Press Release from the Congressman:

Washington, May 26 – Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, plans to hold a hearing to investigate the April 8th massacre of Iranian civilians at Camp Ashraf in Eastern Iraq and what role the U.S. State Department may have played in a cover up of the crime.

“The shooting of unarmed women and children by Iraqi troops at Camp Ashraf is not a diplomatic incident to be explained away by our State Department,” said Rohrabacher. “It is a crime against humanity. My oversight subcommittee will hold a hearing to investigate this massacre to hold accountable those responsible, including those in our own government, who may have tried to cover up what happened.”

On the morning of April 8, 2011, an Iraqi Army unit invaded Camp Ashraf in Eastern Iraq, killing 34 and injuring over 300 of the unarmed camp residents. The incident curiously took place 12 hours after a U.S. military unit left the camp. The Iraqi Government has been blocking access to the refugee camp and the U.S. State Department is also prohibiting Members of Congress from visiting the location for fear it might upset the Iraqi Government. These actions have given rise to Mr. Rohrabacher’s concerns that the US State Department may be helping Iraq cover up what appears to be an atrocity committed against unarmed, innocent people.

As of today, the State Department continues to refuse a bipartisan request by Members of Congress to travel to Camp Ashraf in June.

Camp Ashraf is home to about 3,400 Iranian exiles who have lived in Iraq since after the Iranian Revolution.

How many of you even knew this occurred last month?

Update:  I thought about this later and realized that I had written about this Camp being in jeopardy in 2009 and wondered then if Obama would be blamed if our pull-out would cause harm to the refugees, here, and sure enough Obama is not being blamed yet.   Obama-worshiping media is silent as reader Gary points out.