Obama’s State Department had big plans for new resettlement sites

Throughout 2016 we reported on some of the proposed new “welcoming” communities that the Obama team was quietly targeting as new resettlement sites.

One of those was Pittsfield, Mass (here and here).

Today we have news that since the number of paying clients (aka refugees) was declining under Trump, some of those sites are being cancelled. One is Pittsfield. See Feds drop plan for Pittsfield, here.

And, recently we reported that the new Episcopal church office in Charleston, WV was also cancelled.

But, I did see that, although the Rutland, Vermont pro-refugee-welcoming mayor lost his election bid, the arrogant contractor USCRI has applied for 100 Syrians and Iraqis again for FY18 (they likely won’t get them, but it makes for a media opportunity to bash Trump when they don’t).

For new readers, (assuming the DOS is keeping it up to date), go here to see the available resettlement sites. They can resettle within 100 miles of each location.

For all of you trying to stay on top of the issue—-which towns are targeted AND WHY!—here is the Dept. of State’s New Site Guide introduced by none-other than Laurence Bartlett.

Note that it is undated, but I believe it was prepared in anticipation of an expansion of the program toward the end of the Obama Administration (an expansion that obviously didn’t happen).

 

 

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information’ category. I suggest you download the guide before it disappears.

One of the things in the document is the list of items that the local contracting agency must have available for its new clients—right down to the towels and kitchen utensils. So, if you get word that your local contractor isn’t meeting its contractual obligations, raise a red flag!

And, take note of the fact that in about 90 days the resettlement agency contractor is done with them, and they are in your town or city’s care.

For new readers, here are the nine major contractors which receive compensation on a per-head basis for each refugee they place in your town: