There is nothing earth-shattering in this Dallas News story. In fact I’m posting it to show new readers how reporters just lap up refugee none-news put out from the refugee PR machine and translate it into a warm and fuzzy story (the only thing missing in this one is the ‘refugees see first snow!’ but of course this is Dallas). If you are a new reader and/or from Texas you might find this enlightening.
However, reporters such as this one—Dianne Solis—never go beyond the surface and ask questions like how much is this costing US and Texas taxpayers because Catholic Charities is largely funded by your tax dollars? Or, are there Texans who need these jobs? (Does Catholic Charities also help poor Texans find work?) Or, are the Dallas schools struggling with the influx of so many diverse immigrants? Or, how much welfare do the refugees receive even after they reach that mythical goal of self-sufficiency? (See our fact sheet for the welfare goodies) etc.
From Dallas News:
Mohammed Farah shares his story as a refugee from war-ravaged Somalia to a class of fresh arrivals. [Message: Mohammed hung in there and now works for Catholic Charities of Dallas!—ed]
Dallas and Texas generally top the list of US State Department targets for resettlement:
Today, now working as the refugee resettlement program manager for the nonprofit Catholic Charities, the 51-year-old Farah coaches others on the art of resurrection. And the demand is growing — Texas has led the nation for the last four years in refugee resettlements, and Catholic Charities in Dallas last year handled about 725 cases, or about 10 percent of the state’s total.
During the recent two-day orientation, Farah spoke to about two dozen refugees, ranging from Iraqi engineers to Burmese farmers.
He’s blunt about what it takes to succeed: Prepare mentally for endurance in the labor market. Take any job, any wage, any shift. And smell like a flower, he says. Farah’s point on fabulous hygiene finally provokes some smiles from the serious morning crowd.
Iraqis, Burmese and Bhutanese have led the flow into Texas. Rounding out the top 10 are newcomers from Somalia, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia. [Bringing multiculturalism and democrat voters to Red Texas—ed]
Faking you out with the numbers:
“Your first job is not your lifetime job,” he says.
Many stare back glumly. One woman keeps her arms tightly folded across her chest, pressing her fingers into her biceps. [LOL! see the Dallas News photo for grumpy refugee.]
[….]
Catholic Charities of Dallas finds jobs for 98 percent of those it resettles within 180 days, says Avril Knox, the director of refugee resettlement services for the Dallas agency.
Catholic Charities is in competition with other resettlement contractors for the next batch of refugees so they are all padding their employment numbers to appear more successful than their grant-seeking competitors.
This 98% figure is bogus! It is an example of the Jonathan Gruber syndrome (government can lie to you if it advances their cause). These agencies work like heck to get refugees signed up for any job just as their reporting numbers are due into the feds. It doesn’t matter if the refugee quits or is fired the next week. What matters is if he or she is employed on reporting day!
And the Dallas News story wraps up with this instead of an account of the ‘first-snow’ thrill. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen this—refugee kid wants to be a doctor:
His enthusiasm hits home for one 13-year-old Iraqi girl, who fled with her family to the U.S. She says she’s eager to start school and mathematics classes.
“I want to be a doctor because I like to help sick people,” she said.
Read it all, and if you live in Texas you need to really start digging into the facts and exposing them—start a website on Texas LEGAL immigration news. You have a big fat target on your state!
BTW, Catholic Charities of Dallas was also involved in the Unaccompanied Alien Children mess this summer.
Go here for our archive on Dallas. One Texas city, Amarillo, has developed a “pocket of resistance” to more refugee resettlement.