Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains largely funded by government contracts

Since we are closely following the controversy in Wyoming (see our previous post), let’s have a look at who exactly has expressed an interest in being the federal government contractor wishing to do business and resettle clients in Wyoming—Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains (LFSRM) sometimes known as Lutheran Family Services Colorado.  (Why they need to operate under two names is beyond me!).

Rocky Mountain ‘Lutheran’ CEO Barclay makes just short of $200,000 in salary and benefits.

Let’s not tip our hand prematurely!

We first became aware of their role when it was learned that officials there were unhappy to be prematurely mentioned in publicity surrounding Wyoming Governor Mead’s proposed plan.  They wanted the plans for Wyoming to be kept secret from the general public until they were further along.

“The largest refugee resettlement agency in the Rocky Mountain region.” they have “offices located in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley/Evans and Fort Morgan, CO and Albuquerque, NM, and services provided in Wyoming, Montana and Western Nebraska.”

Although they do other work for children and families, they had time to resettle a whopping 1,567 refugees in FY12-13.  Learn more here.

LFSRM is a subcontractor of the much larger Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) headquartered in Baltimore, MD.   Just the other day we noted that LIRS has taken down its reference to an office in Casper, WY:

Note that in this post we wrote in July, LIRS linked a Casper, Wyoming office (Gillette and Casper are two cities mentioned as possible resettlement sites).  However, if you go to LIRS website today the link has been erased.  Have they given up? Or, are they just laying low until the political storm blows over?

Could they possibly have already been bringing in those Somalis we wrote about here?

Funded almost entirely with taxpayer dollars!

Lutheran Family Services RM is not a privately-funded church group, it is a quasi-government agency which is 84% funded by tax dollars.

Let’s visit their most recently available Form 990 here.

Their gross revenue was $12,915,054

$10,812,318 comes from government contracts.

Although they don’t list grants they do list government contracts on page 9 (they took the word “government” out in this Form 990, but I checked previous ones to be sure in which they did categorize the majority of their income as from “government contracts.”).  LOL! I think these so-called ‘non-profits’ are increasingly sensitive and don’t want you to know how much they depend on tax dollars. This is a business not a charity!

When you visit that previous Form 990, check out the big jump Barclay’s salary took in just two years from 2010-2012!

CEO James Barclay makes a cool $199,330 in salary and benefits and 4 other top executives are in the 6-figure category including James Horan who runs their refugee branch. (page 8).  Barclay made $172,267 two years earlier.

Then here are some of their expenses (rounded numbers).  Without your cash they could not exist!

Nearly $5 million in salary, benefits and employment expenses were paid out.

Occupancy and other office expenses approached $900,000.

$259,000 went for travel expenses (what for just the Rocky Mountain region?).

$55,000 was spent for conferences.

And, they even spent $32,000 lobbying (for what?  more money from government?).

More on page 10.

In order to keep the government gravy train chugging along they have to bring in more and more refugees and likely they are running out of places for them in Colorado, thus their venture in Wyoming!

Every one of you concerned about refugee overload for your community must research who will benefit from more immigrants in your town or city because it is sad to say — this is all about money!  (and about changing the demographic makeup of your town).

Several years ago we followed the controversy (mostly in Colorado) about Somalis working at meatpacking plants and demanding special prayer times in the workplace.  Our entire category, entitled ‘Greeley/Swift Somali Controversy‘ should be useful for readers here.  I didn’t realize, at the time (or I don’t think I did), what the role of Lutheran Family Services Colorado was in all of this—they likely were the source of all the Somali workers for meat packing companies.  Adding insult to injury, Swift is a Brazilian owned company!

Cheyenne, WY: Citizens to rally for states rights and against federal government sending refugees to Wyoming, Saturday Nov. 1

Show your support, meet in beautiful Cheyenne, Wyoming on Saturday November 1st! http://www.cheyenne.org/listings/index.cfm?listingID=79

As regular readers know, we have been writing on and off for months about the federal government and a Lutheran resettlement contractor with plans to resettle refugees in the last state in the nation without a formal resettlement program.

Over a year ago, Republican Governor Matt Mead appeared very hot on the idea, here, when he sent a letter to the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement stating that the State of Wyoming has elected to pursue a resettlement program.

See our complete archive on the fire storm his letter created by clicking here.

This is a press release making the rounds in Wyoming for Saturday’s rally. If you can’t attend, find other ways to lend support.

CONTACT: Info@CitizensProtectingWyoming.org 307 . 441 . 4230

CAPITOL STEPS RALLY – SAT., NOV. 1st, 11-1:30 & EDUC. EVENT – 7pm

______________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOV. 1st CHEYENNE CAPITOL RALLY – REFUGEE IMPACT ON WYOMING?

Casper, Wyoming – October 28, 2014 – Citizens Protecting Wyoming (CPW) – a non-partisan non-profit – calls on elected public servants and candidates listed on the November ballot, to address and listen to citizen concerns about “any” Wyoming Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) or plans.

A rally dedicated to this purpose is scheduled from 11:00am -1:30pm on Saturday, November 1st by the State Capitol steps, followed by a Honk & Wave and a 7:00 pm educational event.

Mike Ellmore, a CPW representative from Gillette stated, “Concerns we are hearing across the state range from refugee problems communities around the US are having, including health, safety, cultural conflicts, drains on welfare, medical, community and educational programs.”

Don Barnett, the keynote speaker flying in for the rally and evening educational/organizing event said, “The program (RRP) places significant unfunded costs on state and local taxpayers in the form of social services which must be provided.

The recent US Ebola outbreaks have sparked renewed attention in Governor Mead’s September 2013 letter to Washington, D.C. committing, “The State of Wyoming has elected to pursue …. and participate in that program … .” (http://refugeemead.com).

Foregoing pubic knowledge, input or agreement, Mead is set to allow Wyoming to become the last state in the US to have a RRP forced upon the citizens by the Federal government implemented United Nations programs.

In a March 2014 public letter (bit.ly/OuI4vE), Mead states that Wyomingites would be involved in RRP discussions and decisions and that, “I welcome the participation of all citizens.” After seven months of Mead not providing a public venue, the CPW is responding to the growing concerns voiced by Wyomingites by facilitating the citizen-government dialogue on Nov. 1st at the State Capitol (details below.)

Ace Halstead, CPW Public Relations, reported, “Wyomingites want the truth. Mead’s office has recently responded with a RRP “Fact Sheet” which demonstrates his apparent continued avoidance of actual factual matters of this issue. This shows me a lack of transparency and serves only to misdirect from reality and create additional unnecessary confusion.”

Karen Bogart, CPW of Casper noted, “A permit was secured for the 11:00am -1:30pm rally on Saturday, Nov. 1st at the State Capitol steps (Updates here: http://on.fb.me/1wb30Ki). RSVP for a 7:00pm Educational – Motivation – Citizen Training is also offered (on.fb.me/1vyxw25). Discounted motel rooms are available. More event/hotel details: www.CitizensProtectingWyoming.org. Contact/Donations: info@CitizensProtectingWyoming.org

###

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society launches petition drive to increase this year’s refugee quota from 70,000-100,000

We want 75,000 Syrians admitted to US in next five years.

Citing the crisis in Syria and Iraq, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, one of nine major federal contractors has launched a drive to petition the Obama Administration to increase the Fiscal Year 2015 admissions to the US.

Always keep in mind that the contractors are paid by the head to resettle refugees to your towns and cities.

See a previous post this morning for what all this is costing you.

Readers will remember it was Nezer who earlier this year said we should take 75,000 Syrians over 5 years.

Although she says they are trying to save Christians and religious minorities, interested readers should call them and ask how many Muslims they resettled in recent years and ask what percentage of the Syrians in the pipeline for America right now are Muslims.

From an e-mail alert this morning:

Dear Friend,

10.14---HIAS_SyriaIraq_callout_v4.pngThe conflict in Syria has forced more than 3 million people from their homes. In Iraq, the Islamic State has engaged in an ethnic cleansing campaign against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities. Those who have fled will likely never be able to return home.

Yet, despite ongoing persecution and conflicts creating more and more refugees, the United States has not increased the quota of people we will resettle in the coming year.

Sign our petition! It is imperative that the annual US refugee quota be increased from 70,000 to 100,000. 

Raising the resettlement ceiling will not put an end to the violence sweeping Syria and Iraq. But it will allow us to save more of the most vulnerable refugees of this unimaginable suffering. It will support the countries hosting them. And it will uphold our nation’s promise to support religious freedom and provide safe haven to those who are persecuted.

Stand with us and urge President Obama to uphold our nation’s promise to support religious freedom and offer safe haven to those who are persecuted for their faith and beliefs.

Sincerely,
Melanie

Melanie Nezer
Vice President, Policy and Advocacy

UK will NOT join EU in plan to rescue migrants in Mediterranean Sea

‘Invasion of Europe’ news…..

They say that Italy’s huge effort (soon to end) to rescue the ‘boat people’ illegal migrants trying to reach Europe from North Africa has created a “pull factor.”  No kidding!

See news and a prediction at Blazing Cat Fur! http://www.blazingcatfur.ca/2014/10/28/uk-axes-support-for-mediterranean-invader-er-migrant-rescue-operation/

 

Having followed this issue for years, I never dreamed I would see the day when some European country would have the guts to tell this important truth!

And, remember American readers, we have created a “pull factor” by taking illegal migrants who reach Malta to the US as refugees!

From SBS.News:

Britain says it won’t join an EU program to help rescue refugees and migrants sailing across the Mediterranean, expressing sentiments that echo the policy on ‘maritime arrivals’ adopted in Australia.

[….]

Asked recently in the House of Lords what naval or air-sea rescue contribution the British government would make to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, foreign minister Baroness Anelay replied:

“We do not support planned search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. We believe that they create an unintended ‘pull factor’, encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing and thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths.”

The ‘humanitarian industrial complex’ has reacted with not-unexpected rage!

But refugee advocates have reacted with anger to the British government’s refusal to take part in future search operations in the Mediterranean.

“The British government seems oblivious to the fact that the world is in the grip of the greatest refugee crisis since the Second World War,” Maurice Wren, chief executive of British Refugee Council said in a statement.

So what is their answer—MORE legal immigration!

“The answer isn’t to build the walls of fortress Europe higher, it’s to provide more safe and legal channels for people to access protection.”

See our ‘invasion of Europe’ series here.  And, if you have time, see our seven years of stories about the mess we have created for Malta.  We took 531 of Malta’s illegal aliens to the US in FY2014!  (See that there were 434 cases and 531 individuals admitted, that means most were single adults.)

Some Somali young man who got on a boat in North Africa (probably Libya) is now being cared for with your tax dollars in your town.

What does the refugee resettlement program cost US taxpayers?

A minimum of $1 billion but closer to $10 billion annually?

That is a question we get all the time!  But, honestly no one knows for sure because although the Office of Refugee Resettlement does a survey of a small number of refugees every year (for its always-late annual report to Congress) to see what services refugees access, they have really no idea.

Yesterday a reader (thanks Linda) sent me the Report to Congress for FY2015 that accompanies the Presidential Determination for how many refugees we are bringing in the new fiscal year.  FY2015 began on October 1st.  I hadn’t seen this year’s report, but it is a treasure trove of information which we will be bringing to your attention as time goes on.

This report is not to be confused with Annual Reports to Congress which look back at previous years.

Here is the FY2015 Report to CongressNote that the dollar figures we have here do not include:  costs associated with the Unaccompanied Alien Children’s Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income programs, the Victims of Domestic Trafficking, food stamps, public housing, WIC, education for the children, costs associated with the criminal justice system, interpreters, etc.

Remember Eskinder Negash told us here that the Office of Refugee Resettlement took care of 143,000 ‘refugees’ in FY 2013 (but some were UACs and victims of trafficking).

So, without those costs added in we are paying over $1 billion a year in tax dollars to resettle just over 100,000 refugees and asylees in one year.  Some experts say the cost for the “services” listed above for years (because we don’t just give welfare for the first year in America) would run the tab up to the $5-$10 billion mark each year.

Here, at nearly the last page of the FY2015 report, is the expected cost of resettling roughly just over 100,000 refugees and asylees this year—just to get them in and initially settled.  (Often readers are confused about which agencies are directly involved in the resettlement process.  You can see here it is Homeland Security, US State Department and the US Dept. of Health and Human Services (ORR).)

Table VII

Estimated Available Funding for Refugee Processing, Movement, and Resettlement
FY 2014 and FY 2015 ($ Millions)

 

Agency

Estimated
FY 2014
(by Department)

Estimated
FY 2015
(by Department)

Department of Homeland Security
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Refugee Processing 1

$32.3

$32.9

Department of State
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Refugee Admissions 2, 3

$494.4

$ 418.0

Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families,
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Refugee Resettlement 4

$616.3

$608.1

TOTAL $1,143.0 $1,059.0

The estimated FY 2015 figures above reflect the President’s FY 2015 Budget request and do not include carryover funds from FY 2014.

1 FY 2015: Includes cost factors to reflect Headquarters facilities rent related to the refugee resettlement program, projected staffing enhancements, and following-to-join refugee processing, in addition to certain ICASS costs.

2 FY 2014: Includes FY 2014 MRA appropriation of $351 million, $68.8 million in PRM carryover from FY 2013, $68.6 million projected IOM loan collections/carryover, and an estimate of $6 million in prior year MRA recoveries. A portion of these funds will be carried forward into FY 2015.

3 FY 2015: Includes FY 2015 MRA budget request of $360 million, $52 million in projected IOM loan collections/carryover, and an estimate of $6 million in prior year MRA recoveries. Funds carried forward from FY 2014 will also be available in FY 2015. [IOM loans are travel loans to refugees which when repaid partially return to resettlement contractors and not to the federal treasury—ed]

4 FY 2014 and FY 2015: HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) refugee benefits and services are also provided to asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, certain Amerasians from Vietnam, victims of a severe form of trafficking who have received certification or eligibility letters from ORR, and certain family members who are accompanying or following to join victims of severe forms of trafficking, and some victims of torture, as well as Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants and their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21. None of these additional groups is included in the refugee admissions ceiling except Amerasians. This category does not include costs associated with the Unaccompanied Alien Children’s Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income programs, or the Victims of Domestic Trafficking. The estimated FY 2015 figures above reflect the President’s FY 2015 Budget request and do not include carryover funds from FY 2014, as HHS does not anticipate any carryover funding from FY 2014.