What took them so long, many other resettlement contractors around the country have already set up their chorus of howls over the threatened loss of federal money should Congress not give Obama the BILLIONS he wants for the “chiiildruun.”
As we have said repeatedly: not enough money, then don’t bring so many new refugees into America!
(Or, LOL! give up some of your big salaries to the poor refugees, 63% of Minnesota’s Somalis live below poverty line!).
Editors note: Before you proceed to read the latest (below), including from the Lutherans, see our post of last September when we reported that the CEO of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota was pulling down an astounding $441,767 in salary and benefits before his retirement.
Here from the Minneapolis Star Tribune (aka Red Star), thanks to reader Jay, is the Minnesota caterwauling (emphasis is mine):
WASHINGTON – Minnesota refugee resettlement organizations are increasingly panicked that the surge of unaccompanied kids from Central America streaming across the border will siphon federal dollars away from the 4,000 refugees and asylum-seekers that arrive on the state’s doorstep every year.
Federal officials are warning that unless Congress approves President Obama’s $3.7 billion funding request before the August congressional recess, $94 million that had been devoted mostly to refugees instead will be diverted to the escalating crisis on the border.
[….]
Because Minnesota is one of the top resettlement states for refugees from Somalia, Bhutan, Burma, Iraq and other troubled countries, organizations across the state that help new arrivals assimilate, get jobs and learn English say a shortage of funds could jeopardize their work.
“Of course this is scary to us. We’re not in the business of pitting refugees against minors because it’s a terrifying situation for both groups,” said Kim Dettmer, director of refugees services at Lutheran Social Service. “Obviously these minors need help and obviously the refugees need help, as well. In my ideal world, we would have enough money to serve refugees and the children crossing the border would be safe and receive humane treatment.”
Did you know that one of the driving forces for resettlement in your state is the RELIGIOUS resettlement contractors, like these Lutherans, acting as head-hunters for big businesses looking for cheap labor? Is this an appropriate role for them and their bosses at the US State Department? I wonder does Jennie-O send them a little spare change? And, of course, this is why Grover Norquist and his Republican pals are on the same side as Keith Ellison.
Her organization also helps refugees find work — an aspect of the program that is booming in Minnesota, given the state’s low unemployment rate. Lutheran Social Service has an office in St. Cloud that places refugees at Hormel’s Jennie-O plant and other factories and hotels for service work.
Public-private partnership—what a joke!
As we have demonstrated repeatedly, the contractors are receiving over 90% of their funding from the feds. And, get this! Ms. King of the politically hard Left MN Council of Churches talks about volunteer time. Well the contractors log volunteer hours and are then paid CASH from the federal treasury for those hours on top of all the other largesse they receive!
“This program is a public-private partnership and I think Minnesota is very good at the private part of it, leveraging volunteer time and the other work,” said Rachele King, director of refugee services at the Minnesota Council of Churches. “It’s the public part, they’re not holding up their end of the bargain.”
Minnesota Council of Churches is also a refugee resettlement contractor/community organizer. Out of time, research on their $$$ (your tax dollars) will have to wait for another day.
This post is archived in ‘unaccompanied minors’ here.