Readers this post is a repeat of one I wrote last week. I promised to reprint this information every week until the deadline for testimony—May 8th—arrives.
You have virtually no voice in the decision about bringing refugees to America—where they come from and in what towns and cities they will be placed. However, each year the US State Department hears mostly from federal resettlement contractors (nine major and approximately 300 subcontractors) to help them determine who (and how many) will be resettled. The contractors have a vested interest because they are paid by the head (by you, the taxpayer) to resettle as many refugees as the State Department lets them have.
The State Department will be looking to set its (the President’s) goals for FY2014 on May 15th.
You can send testimony too! Here is what you need to do, be sure to pay attention to the last part about copying your testimony to your elected officials. (Your US Representatives and Senators have pretty much abrogated their roles in questioning this program.)
And, one last thing—The Boston Chechens were not the first refugee/asylee terrorists who have entered the US and been caught, just the most successful so far.
My post from last week:
Every week from now until May 8th, I’m going to repeat this post!
Do not be silent!
The US State Department holds a hearing, usually in May, largely populated by the refugee contractors telling sob stories and looking to boost the number and variety of refugees (not to mention the contractor’s income) to be admitted to the US in the upcoming fiscal year. My report on last year’s hearing is here.
Last year, and maybe for the first time ever, critical comments outnumbered those looking to add more refugees to already overloaded cities and states. Let’s do it again!
The whole Federal Register Notice is here.
The meeting’s purpose is to hear the views of attendees on the appropriate size and scope of the FY 2014 U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Your testimony can be long or short, detailed or general, but get something in by the deadline of 5 p.m. May 8th!
Address testimony to: Anne Richard, Asst. Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, US State Department, Washington, DC.
Reference Federal Register Public Notice 8241
E-mail or fax to Delicia Spruell:
Persons wishing to present written comments should submit them by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 via email to spruellda@state.gov or fax (202) 453-9393.
Now listen-up, this is important! If you don’t copy your testimony to your elected officials, you can be sure your testimony to the State Department will never see the light of day!
You must put cc at the bottom of your testimony and list the following:
~Your member of the House of Representatives (look up their addresses!)
~Your US Senators
~Any elected officials in your state who may be interested
Also, send to (and list on your testimony):
~US Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security. Go here for list of Subcommittee Members. You will be listing and mailing to the Subcommittee, however, if your US Senator is on that subcommittee then please be sure they are listed prominently on the testimony you send to the State Department. Mail to: U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security, 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Mail your testimony to the Subcommittee even if your Senator is not on it!
~House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security. Go here for a list of all the Subcommittees and see if your Member of Congress is on the Subcommittee. But, even if he or she isn’t then still send your testimony here (addressed to the Subcommittee): 2138 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, p/202-225-3951.
When sending anything to your US Senators or Members of Congress always ask a question so that hopefully it forces them to answer your letter! You might ask them to put pressure on the State Department to have this “hearing” held in several locations around the country!
If you plan to attend the hearing in Washington on May 15th (location and time details in my previous post), you need to let Ms. Spruell know by the same deadline.
Persons wishing to attend this meeting must notify the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration at telephone (202) 453-9257 by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, to reserve a seat.
Send me a copy of your testimony and indicate whether or not I have permission to publish it!
I made a special category for testimony last year, here. So, check it out and see what others said last May.
Send copies to Ann@vigilantfreedom.com