Fiscal year 2014 started on October 1, and here is the announcement from the White House. It is in the national interest he says! More later….
Update: If you are wondering we resettled 69,930 in FY2013, here. Iraqis the largest number by far.
Day: October 9, 2013
German conservatives: solution to Lampedusa tragedy is not to accept more migrants
And, of course the Leftists and Socialists in the majority in Europe are proposing just that—allow more to enter the EU. It seems to me to be intuitive that when you “put sugar on the table” (not my phrase), more will come. Readers not familiar with what happened off Lampedusa, go here.
From World Bulletin (emphasis mine):
Lampedusa asylum tragedy sparks calls for reform in EU’s strict immigration rules. But Germany’s conservatives, who almost secured a new term in September elections, oppose proposed steps.
Germany’s conservative interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich has dismissed calls for softening the rules of immigration in Europe and urged for more strict measures against illegal immigration.
“The refugee tragedy in Lampedusa has shaken all of us. We should do everything to ensure that such a tragedy would not happen again,” Friedrich told German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, ahead of the Tuesday’s EU interior ministers meeting in Luxembourg. But Friedrich strongly opposed to the recent suggestions made by German opposition parties to the government for relaxing the strict immigration rules and accepting more refugees to Germany.
Interior minister Friedrich argued that most of the migrants coming from African countries were “economically” motivated, rather than being refugees in need of political asylum. German minister stressed that Europe should make stronger efforts in cooperation with the African states to support development efforts in these countries.
Readers, often the open borders gang is happy to blur the lines on the definition of refugees, but know that those looking for a better life economically are not “refugees” or “asylum seekers.”
Immigrants are shopping for the best social welfare deal they can get in Europe!
Germany’s conservative interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich on Tuesday has also called for stronger measures within the EU against what he described as economically motivated immigration that exploits Germany’s social security system.
Friedrich expressed Germany’s discomfort at growing number of immigrants who are coming to Germany from other European countries thanks to the EU’s freedom of movement principle, but not studying or working and paying their taxes. These are increasingly becoming a burden and problem for German cities and municipalities he argued and urged for measures. “Freedom of movement does not mean having a freedom to change your home country just to benefit from the higher social service standards of another country,” Friedrich said.
Go here for more on Germany’s immigration problems.
Capitalism flourishing in Zaatari refugee camp; it is simply human nature
This is at once a fun read and an annoying read at IRIN News (a ‘humanitarian’ news outlet connected with the UN).
Photo: Areej Abuqudairi/IRIN
It’s fun to see how cleverly some Syrians are turning their situation into a study in how capitalism develops (albeit skewed a bit by the freebies from donors) when left to their own devices and where there is virtually zero regulation and zero taxes.
It’s annoying when you consider the author of this piece (or at least the editor) focused on the “haves vs. the have-nots” aspect—your classic commie orientation.
And, some of you might be put off by the fact that the Syrian entrepreneurs are using donated items in their commercial ventures.
Here is how the article begins, but read the whole thing and note how ‘clever’ these Syrian Capitalists have become. (Emphasis is mine)
ZA’ATARI, 8 October 2013 (IRIN) – Just over one year ago, thousands of white tents were erected near the Jordanian-Syrian border to “temporarily” host Syrian refugees who had fled violence in their country. Waves of refugees have since flooded the desert camp; Za’atari is now Jordan’s fourth largest city and the world’s fourth largest camp, home to 120,000 Syrian refugees.
To accommodate the population’s needs, a market has sprung up along the main road at the entrance to the camp, extending over several kilometres, with grocery stores, clothing boutiques, restaurants, bakeries, cafés, electronic shops and barbers all available.
This frenzy of commerce has spawned winners and losers, buyers and sellers, haves and have-nots, honest traders and outright thieves.
Such divisions have fuelled resentment, particularly as those better off are viewed as taking advantage of the aid system at the expense of those living at the edge of survival, in an environment with very little security or regulations.
No regulations, no taxes, no rent, no electric bills and no child labor laws! Here is one of many anecdotes that amused me:
To be able buy groceries from the Za’atari market, Zubi sends her 13-year-old son to work.
He stands with a wheelbarrow in the middle of the market, offering to wheel purchases or aid materials to residents’ homes. Depending on the distance of the trip, Mohammad Kahir earns between 0.50 to 2 dinars ($0.70-$2.80) per trip.
Just fyi, there are dozens of new (and predictable) stories in my alerts today about Syrian refugees—most are dire warnings about people starving/freezing/drowning, mean-spirited governments not taking them in, and that the number is going to grow exponentially.
For all of our coverage of Syrian refugees, go here. Between Somalis and Syrians we are never at a loss for stories to post!