This story would not be worth posting except for the fact that it once again informs us that the refugees are here to supply cheap labor for industries that want to keep wages low. (Cheap for industry, but not for taxpayers who subsidize the refugee families with welfare!)
And, it is worth posting because the refugee agency head in Twin Falls is mistaken when he thinks the citizens of Idaho have been sufficiently ‘educated’ and now will be more welcoming of refugees.
From the Idaho State Business Journal:
Lack of refugees has Idaho businesses scrambling for workers
(Be sure to click on the link and see the story which features a photo of a Muslim woman giving free Arabic lessons to Americans. Gee, so why is that needed?)
TWIN FALLS — Idaho has welcomed far fewer refugees this year, which means resettlement agencies have more time to work with families, but South Idaho businesses are scrambling to find workers.
The College of Southern Idaho’s Refugee Center*** is on track to resettle 71 people this year, a fraction of the 300 people it typically serves each fiscal year. It’s received 64 refugees so far this year, with another family of seven expected soon. The fiscal year ends at the end of September.
“I think the decline in arrivals takes a toll, especially with our super low unemployment right now,” said Tara Wolfson, director of the Idaho Office for Refugees. “And I think there’s a loss to our ingenuity, to our workforce, to our bringing new ideas and creations to our state, that refugees tend to bring.” [This is such BS—refugees bring new ideas and creations to the state.—ed]
[….]
“It’s really a tough thing because we need workforce,” Roeser said. “We have so many Baby Boomers retiring. We have so many services that need warm bodies to work because of the aging workforce.”
I have said innumerable times that since the US Refugee Admissions Program is primarily to supply cheap labor for big global businesses (like Chobani), let’s have that debate, but shut up about it being a ‘humanitarian’ program.
Refugee resettlement across the state has declined dramatically since 2016 when 916 people resettled in Idaho. That number dropped to 611 the following year, and the Idaho Office for Refugees has resettled 341 people so far in the 2018 fiscal year.
[….]
Wolfson said she expects that the low resettlement rate will continue into next year.
But Rwasama [Director of the Refugee Center at CSI] is hopeful that federal policies and practices “could change at any time.” He said these days he less frequently hears certain anti-refugee sentiments that he used to hear often, such as concerns about safety or complaints about refugees “taking jobs” from other workers.
“I think people have actually received correct information and that’s why I don’t hear it anymore,” Rwasama said.
“And I hope those answers are getting to the president as well, and soon he will allow more refugees to come.”
Things are only quiet because Donald Trump has taken the pressure off for now.
So, dear readers, the flood gates will open again if there is a new President elected in 2020 (there isn’t another Republican who would do what Trump is doing). I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to reform the whole program while we have him in office. So get out and get involved in election year politics where you live!
Go here for my huge archive on Idaho.
***The Refugee Center at the College of Southern Idaho is a subcontractor of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (one of the big nine federal resettlement contractors).