Month: December 2019

Republican Governors All Talk No Action (Memory Lane!)

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 5 Comments

Do you remember this headline only four short years ago?  Probably not.  I hadn’t, although I surely wrote about it at the time.  It was right after one of those horrible Islamic terrorist attacks in Europe and it woke from slumber some Republican governors for a few minutes.

30 Governors Call For Halt To U.S. Resettlement Of Syrian Refugees

My how things have changed.

They talked tough then (mostly because Obama was in office and they knew they had no voice), but now when the President has actually presented them with an opportunity to put up or shut up and go on record saying NO to more refugees from the Middle East and elsewhere, well now they are worried about their “workforce” and they tuck their tails and run fearing they will be perceived as mean and unwelcoming by the Dems.

Here is a very cool graphic from NPR at the time.

 

Nothing has changed by the way!  We bring fewer Syrians these days, but the vast majority of Syrians who do come are Muslims.

And, not just Syrians, but Iraqis, Somalis, Burmese Rohingya and literally tens of thousands of Afghans.

The vetting can’t really be improved because as Senator Marco Rubio said at the time:

“There is no background-check system in the world that allows us to find that out, because who do you call in Syria to background-check them?”

That same common sense applies to most places in the Middle East, Asia and Africa—who you gonna call?

Although I should be writing on all sorts of things on this subject, not to mention that my other blog ‘Frauds and Crooks’ is suffering from lack of attention, I found myself rummaging around Wrapsnet (the Refugee Processing Center) and holy cow!

Four years: 19,514 Syrians!

In the 4 years since NPR posted their story (from November 17, 2015 to today December 11, 2019) we admitted 19,514 Syrians—19,514!  19,195 of those are Muslims!

Although most of those came as Obama was leaving town, 6,413 of the Syrian Muslims came in Trump’s first (partial) year with 602 since.

Here is where the nearly 20,000 Syrians were placed:

Amazing how we forget!  

Don’t miss Daniel Horowitz today at Conservative Review:

GOP governors betraying constituents by pushing refugee resettlement

He linked a list of today’s Republican Governors and so far that we know of (some might be hiding!), Republican governors of Utah, New Hampshire, Arizona and North Dakota are opposing the President (and America Firsters) on the issue of Refugee Resettlement.

 

North Dakota Republican Governor is a Definite Yes for More Refugees

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Because of the national attention Burleigh County’s Monday meeting was generating, the governor obviously went to the Administration to get clarification on how the process works and I want to comment on a few items he posted from the governor’s office.

But, he hadn’t gotten the clarification when he sent his letter supporting the program way back on November 19th in which he says they are happily integrating their refugees into their workforce.

White House clarifies proposed figures for refugee resettlement as local jurisdictions weigh consent

Forbes calls Governor Doug Burgum ‘America’s Best Entrepreneurial Governor’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/richkarlgaard/2017/06/13/americas-best-entrepreneurial-governor/#33d337087f21

Here are a few points I want to highlight this morning from what the governor reports.

First, he got clarification that under the new Trump resettlement program this same process will be used every year, and each year the local community and the governor must consent.

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs confirmed that local jurisdictions will need to consent every year for refugee resettlement to continue.

He learned that in addition to the 18,000 cap on the regular refugee program for fiscal year 2020 (which began on October 1, 2019) there will be 10,000 additional special refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq (virtually all Muslims we surmise) who supposedly helped our military in some way or other.

They are treated as refugees with all the social service benefits refugees receive, but with one important exception—they can go anywhere in America they wish.  Regular refugees are placed by contractors*** in the locations they choose.

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs also stated that up to 10,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders – individuals who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in either Iraq or Afghanistan – are eligible for reception and placement services through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Unlike refugees, SIV holders can choose where to settle in the United States. LSS is allowed to provide services to SIV holders and has served up to 21 annually since 2016, though none were served in 2019, according to the agency, which includes SIV holders in its reported total for refugee resettlements.

Then he did confirm why Republicans like himself support the flow of low-skilled refugees to America—because their state business interests want the low wage workers.  And, because they don’t want any global corporations that might be eyeing ND to think the state is filled with bigoted hateful people. (He doesn’t say that, but that is what he means.)

“We support the administration giving states and local jurisdictions the consent authority on whether to continue receiving refugees, and we respect the right to exercise local control,” Burgum said. “That being said, we have serious concerns that denying resettlement to a handful of well-vetted and often family-connected refugees would send a negative signal beyond our borders at a time when North Dakota is facing a severe workforce shortage and trying to attract capital and talent to our state.”

Never mind that those low-skilled refugees earning low wages will need taxpayer-funded services and will eventually vote the Republicans out of office.

North Dakota is done for now, but you will have another shot at it later this year as the feds prepare for fiscal year 2021 that begins on October first of 2020!   Assuming he runs again, Burgum will be up for re-election at that same time.

For others of you….

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

 

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

Also, see my archive on North Dakota.

For many years, it has seen a lot of controversy over refugee resettlement.  I just was reminded when I scanned my posts on the state that the Somali knife attacker in St. Cloud in 2016 was a refugee originally resettled in Fargo, ND

 

***For new readers these (below) are the nine refugee contractors that monopolize all refugee placement in America.  For decades they have decided in secrecy where to place refugees and they don’t want to lose that power because even as they pontificate about their religious convictions and humanitarian zeal, they are Leftwing political groups working to change America by changing the people and using your money to do it!

Reader Suggestion: Send Copy of Your Letter to US Secretary of State

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

It is Secretary of State Pompeo who is collecting letters from governors and local elected officials about whether they are opting-in or opting-out of the US Refugee Admission Program.

(Yesterday I posted a sample letter that you might use as a template when you write to your governor or county commission.)

Since the governors who have already said YES (how many we don’t know) to ‘welcoming’ more poverty for local and state taxpayers to support are likely round-filing (trashing!) your letters, why not send a copy directly to the Secretary of State.

If your governor has, or hasn’t, opted-in or out, then still send a letter to the US State Department.

Frankly, this whole exercise is a barometer for the President.  We assume he will be reelected, and so during the next five years we expect him to make serious changes to how we resettle refugees (if we resettle refugees).  He needs to know that you care.

Send your letters to:

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo
U.S. Department of State

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Carol T. O’Connell
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State

US Department of State

2201 C St. NW

Washington, DC 20520

 

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

Try to get this done by Christmas!

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

If 16 Governors have Already Said YES to More Refugees, then Some are Hiding from the Media

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 5 Comments

Just now I reported on how the New York Times covered the Burleigh County North Dakota hearing and vote on whether that county would say yes, or no, to MORE refugees in the coming year.

A few paragraphs near the end of the biased report, which never mentions that the ‘religious’ groups placing refugees are actually federal contractors*** paid to place them in almost all states, jumped out at me.

Jenny Yang, lobbyist for World Relief, one of the nine contractors that monopolize all refugee placement in America, is lobbying governors.

Jenny Yang, working for the refugee contracting agency World Relief says 16 governors have already opted-in and told the State Department that they want MORE poor people for their state to take care of.

I’ve been following closely and so far media reports indicate only these states are in:

Pennsylvania

Oregon

Utah (R)

Washington

Virginia

New Hampshire (R)

North Dakota (?)(R)

Kansas

Arizona (R)

I guess you all need to find out if your governor has quietly opted-in without any public mention (that is, in secrecy).

From the New York Times:

Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy at World Relief, an evangelical agency whose work includes resettlement, has been steering an effort to lobby governors to keep their states open to refugees.

She said about 16 governors have submitted written consent, six of them Republicans. Gov. Doug Ducey, Republican of Arizona, agreed after receiving a letter supporting resettlement signed by 250 evangelical leaders. Gov. Greg Abbott, Republican of Texas, who leads the state that received the most refugees last year, has not yet offered his view, despite a plea from the mayor of Fort Worth to continue accepting refugees.

As I have been saying, they are gunning for Gov. Abbott of Texas.  Sure hope you Texans are telling the governor what you think.

Since Texas is the top resettlement state in the nation and has been for several years, Abbott could easily say—we need a breather to assimilate those we have ‘welcomed’ for the last decade!

 

***For new readers these (below) are the nine refugee contractors that monopolize all refugee placement in America.  For decades they have decided in secrecy where to place refugees and they don’t want to lose that power because even as they pontificate about their religious convictions and humanitarian zeal, they are Leftwing political groups working to change America by changing the people and using your money to do it!

North Dakota’s Burleigh County Says Yes to More Refugees, Sets a Cap

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 1 Comment

In a packed meeting room, County Commissioners in Bismarck, voted 3-2 to ‘welcome’ more impoverished refugees to the county in the coming year—25 total they say.

As the country watched (even the NY Times was watching) the county leaders took a wishy-washy middle of the road position because as far as I know there is no rule or regulation that lets them set a cap.

Once you agree to take in third worlders from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, a county can’t dictate numbers or select refugees by ethnicity or religion.

 

Although their decision was not exactly overwhelming, the fact that this county commission actually held a hearing to take the pulse of the community is very significant. All across the country governors and local elected officials are deciding behind closed doors.  Demand public hearings!

 

Here is a brief story from local KFYR-TV:

Burleigh County Commission vote to allow refugee resettlement in 3-2 decision

BREAKING: Burleigh County commissioners vote to allow refugee resettlement with a cap of 25 for next year after a four hour hearing.

Both sides of the issue voiced opinions and addressed the commissioners.

Commissioners include Brian Bitner, Jerry Woodcox, Mark Armstrong, Kathleen Jones and Jim Peluso.

Peluso and Bitner voted no.

The option surfaced after President Donald Trump issued an executive order allowing local governments to make their own decisions.

Cass County recently voted to accept refugees.

 

For a more complete and incredibly biased report see the New York Times story from overnight.  As always there is absolutely no mention that the do-gooder Lutherans who resettle refugees in ND are paid, as federal contractors, to place the refugees throughout North Dakota.

The NYT reports that Burleigh County Commissioner Bitner did not even know that refugees were being placed in the county demonstrating that this program operates in SECRECY whenever the contractors can get away with it.

The NYT does point out some pitfalls we see with the President’s approach when he opened this can of worms. (Don’t get me wrong, chaos/confusion is a good thing politically !)

There is one very bright side all of you need to note:  the process is forcing state and local elected officials who have been happy to hide behind the mantra—this decision of where refugees are placed is a federal decision—to go on the record for all voters to see who is friend or foe on the issue of our time.

I see the vote for more refugees as a proxy vote for more immigration across the board.

You can read the whole NYT story yourself, here.

LOL! One thing jumped out at me and that was that although the reporter calls the President, President Trump, once at the beginning of the story.  In four additional references he is relegated to “Mr. Trump.”

Mr. Obama is referred to as “President Barack Obama” (not former President…).

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

See the right hand side bar for the governors who have caved already and told the President that they want more impoverished refugees placed in their (your!) state.

The NYT says 16 governors have sent letters, if that is true they are keeping their mouths shut in the media.

If you are contacting elected officials please send me feedback at refugeewatcher@gmail.com