The President May Postpone Decision on Refugee Numbers for FY2021

09/11/2020 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Here is the first news I am seeing about where the Trump administration is on the decision to admit refugees for FY2021 which begins on October first.

I’ve been telling you in a series of posts (tagged FY2021) about the pressure the Leftist Open Borders agitators are putting on the White House to set a ceiling of 95,000 refugees for next year—a number way above anything the Obama administration ever admitted.

From Reuters at the National Post:

Trump administration considers postponing refugee admissions -U.S. official

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials are weighing whether to postpone or further cut refugee admissions in the coming year amid legal fights over President Donald Trump’s refugee policy and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said.

The possible postponement – one of several options under discussion – would mean some or all refugee admissions could be frozen until a legal challenge to a 2019 Trump order on refugees is resolved “with some greater degree of finality,” the official told Reuters.

It is not clear when that lawsuit may be resolved, especially if the case goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a process that could take months or even longer.

Just as a side note, it was then Defense Secretary James Mattis (with other generals) who fought to keep refugee numbers high in the early years of the Trump administration thus making him a darling of the Left. https://www.niskanencenter.org/general-james-mattis-plea-to-resettle-iraqi-refugees/

The president typically sets yearly refugee levels around the beginning of each fiscal year and the Trump administration has not yet announced its plans for fiscal 2021, which begins on Oct. 1.

The refugee cap was cut to 18,000 this year, the lowest level since the modern-day program began in 1980. So far, roughly half that many refugees have been let in as increased vetting and the coronavirus pandemic have slowed arrivals.

The senior official said that even if 2021 admissions are not delayed, next year’s cap could be cut below current levels.

“The arc of this administration’s refugee policy is going to continue,” said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing deliberations.

Trump and his top officials have said refugees could pose threats to national security and that resettlement should take place closer to countries of origin. The administration also contends that refugee resettlement can be costly for local communities, although refugee backers reject those arguments.

The possible moves remain under discussion and no final decision has been reached, the official stressed.

[….]

In addition to greatly reducing refugee admissions to the United States, Trump also issued an executive order in September 2019 that required state and local elected officials to consent to receive refugees, saying it would better ensure refugees were sent to areas with adequate resources to receive them.

Three of nine federal refugee contractors successfully sued to stop the Trump order to give state and local governments a say in refugee resettlement. They have been deciding for four decades where to place refugees and they want to continue to have that power.

Below, partially federally-funded HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) CEO Mark Hetfield holds a press conference.

In January, a Maryland-based U.S. district judge blocked the order from taking effect, prompting Trump administration officials to consider a possible “deferral” of refugee admissions until the court case is resolved, the senior official said.

The case is now on appeal, so the administration has a very good reason to postpone making any decision about numbers.

The Refugee Act of 1980 leaves the discretion up to the President and there is no requirement in the law that says we must admit any refugees!

More here. See the discussion about how Biden wants 125,000 refugees this coming year, but that Trump has successfully severed the pipeline into America which refugee promoters say will take months (years!) to rebuild.

Interfaith Leaders Tell the Prez: We Want 95,000 Refugees!

09/09/2020 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

And, when do we want them—NOW! Or, to be exact beginning in 22 days!

The Obama/Biden administration never came near to admitting the “historic norm” of 95,000 refugees in one year, but the religious left never attacked them for it and the mainstream media was mum about it. Biden says he wants 125,000 in his first year.

As part of the on-going campaign to pressure the President to open our gates wide to more third world poverty, hundreds of “faith leaders” signed a letter last week urging the President to return to “historic norms” of resettlement even as they know he won’t. (For more posts on this year’s Presidential Determination see tag FY2021.)

The letter and its release is just one more PR stunt by the hard ‘religious’ leftists in the run-up to the November election.

(By the way, even the great and glorious Obama never came near to admitting 95,000 refugees in one year! See the chart in this post.)

They say that Trump is preventing them from fulfilling their spiritual practice.

But, I want to know if America has run out of poor and suffering people who could really use their support!

And, who is stopping them from going to other parts of the world and helping the poor where they live, in their own cultural zones.

Here is a portion of the letter sent to the President last week.

And, I have posted all of the names who have signed it so you might see if you know anyone on the (political) religious Left in your community. (Three resettlement contractor/political agitator ringleaders are in red.)

September 2, 2020
President Donald J. Trump
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Trump and Members of Congress,

As 471 religious leaders and 135 faith-based organizations across traditions, we write to express our deep support for welcoming refugees and restoring the refugee resettlement program to historic norms of 95,000. In the last three years, the administration has cut refugee resettlement by more than 80%, from the historic average goal of 95,000 to just 18,000 – an all-time low. We urge the administration to restore the refugee resettlement program to historic norms and commit to resettling 95,000 refugees in FY21 (the historic average).

We are called by our sacred texts and faith principles to love our neighbor [Yeh, foreign neighbors, because loving Americans is not cool!—ed], accompany the vulnerable, and welcome the sojourner.

Our congregations, synagogues, and mosques have historically played key roles in assisting refugees with housing, language, employment, and social supports necessary for rapid and effective resettlement into U.S. communities. Yet, our commitment to offer refuge from violence and persecution requires our government to demonstrate the moral leadership upon which our nation was founded.

At no other time has our moral responsibility to uphold these principles been greater. War, conflict, and persecution have forced millions to leave their homes, creating more refugees than at any other time in history. There are 79.5 million displaced persons worldwide, including more than 29 million refugees, over half of whom are children. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that global resettlement needs have doubled in recent years reaching over 1.44 million refugees in 2020. We grieve for the refugees who now face increasingly dismal chances at finding safety and who are affected by COVID-19, as well as refugee families still waiting to be reunited.

The reduction in national partners translates to a loss of capacity, expertise, and opportunity, and it prevents Americans of faith from fulfilling part of their spiritual practice.

We urge the administration to reverse course and to commit to resettling 95,000 refugees in FY21. Our collective scriptural mandate and our nation’s history and capabilities as a world leader demand no less.

Sincerely,

Faith Organizations

ADL (Anti-Defamation League)
All Saints Church
Alliance of Baptists
Ascentria Care Alliance
Beit Ahavah Reform Synagogue of Greater Northampton
Benedictine Sisters of Erie
Bethany Christian Services
Bethany Church
Border Perspective
CAIR-Ohio
Caminando Juntos – Presentation Sisters Hispanic Ministry Center
Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
Chobo-Ji Zen Practice Center
Christ the Servant Justice Seekers
Christian Community Development Association
Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice
Church World Service
Church World Service Harrisonburg
CIJPIC VEDRUNA
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Conference of Presentation Sisters
Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
Congregation of Sisters of IHM, Scranton
Congregation of St. Joseph
DC-MD Justice For Our Neighbors
Disciples Center for Public Witness (Disciples of Christ)
Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries
Dominican Sisters
Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
ELCA
Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Faith Action Network – Washington State
Faith Communities Organizing for Sanctuary
Faith Lutheran Church Immigration Justice Group
First Community Church
First United Methodist Church of Seattle
Franciscan Sisters of the Poor
Franklin Federated Church
Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries
Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers)
Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center
HIAS
Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
Holy Spirit Lutheran Church Refugee Resettlement Committee
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters – USA – JPIC
HOPE for All: Helping Others Prosper Economically
Iglesia La Luz en el Barrio
IHM Sisters Leadership Council
InnerCHANGE
Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Insure Our Future
Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice
Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service
Islamic Relief USA
J Street
J4R Church
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA
Jesus 4 Revolutionaries, M25
Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Women International
Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Priests of the Sacred Heart, US Province
Kadima Reconstructionist Community
Kansas Interfaith Action
Keystone Congregational Church
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Leadership Team of Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Member of St. Leo’s Catholic Church
Minnesota Council of Churches
Missio Alliance
Mission and Justice Commission of St. John’s Presbyterian Church
Moravian Church Northern Province
Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Long Beach & West Orange County
Neighborhood Ministries
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies
NHCUCC Immigrant and Refugee Support Group
North Carolina Council of Churches
Northminster Presbyterian Church
Northwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA
Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters
Pax Christi USA
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Presbyterian Office of Public Witness
Purchase Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Reformed Church of Highland Park
Saint Mark’s Cathedral
School Sisters of Notre Dame – Central Pacific Province
Shalom United Church of Christ
Sister, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership
Sisters of Charity of New York
Sisters of Charity, BVM
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team
Sisters of Providence
Sisters of Social Service
Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Francis, Sylvania Ohio
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, PA
Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester
Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield
Sisters of the Presentation
Sojourners
Springfield Dominican Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee
St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA)
St. Louise Catholic Community
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church
St. Matthew Trinity Lunchtime Ministry
Stephen Ministry
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
The Episcopal Church
The Swedenborgian Church
Third Way Church
Together for Hope Louisiana
UniLu
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
University Lutheran Church
Upper Dublin Lutheran Church
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Welcome Table Christian Church (DoC)
West Virginia Council of Churches
Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center

Faith Leaders:

National

Deacon Melanie Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Dr. Ken Brooker Langston, Disciples Center for Public Witness
Secretary Karen Nielsen Conger, The Swedenborgian Church
Dharma Teacher Kaira Lingo, Order of Interbeing
Executive Director Justin Rabbach, Moravian Board of World Mission
CEO Sheila Katz, National Council of Jewish Women
Rev. Terrence Moran, Office of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity, Sisters of Charity of Saint
Elizabeth
Rev. Melodie Long, PCUSA
Mr. Jonathan Boyne, Universalist
Sr. Lisa Stallings, Sisters of Providence
Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Sister Eileen Gannon, OP, Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
Sr. Beverly Heitke, Sisters of the Divine Savior
Brother Michael Gosch, Clerics of St. Viator (Viatorians)
SSND Anna Marie Reha, School Sisters of Notre Dame
Sister Rita Heywood, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur USA
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Sr. LaDonna Manternach, Sisters of Charity, BVM
Sr. Carol Zinn, SSJ, Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Sr. Veronique Wiedower, Sisters of the Holy Cross
Sister Ruth Battaglia, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office, Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes
Rabbi Salem Pearce, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Sister Dominica Lo Bianco, OSF, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Past President Carol Blythe, Alliance of Baptists
Rev. Dr. Wendy Hunter Roberts, Spirit Without Walls
Rev. Reggie Smith, Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice
Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries
Sr. Peggy Kenny, Holy Spirit Sisters
Sr. Rose Therese Nolta, SSpS, Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, USA-JPIC
Executive Director Pablo DeJesus, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Pastor Colin Watson, Christian Reformed Church in North America

Arizona

Elder Cassandra Fraley, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rev. Kenneth Kennon, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Bishop Elias Galvan, United Methodist
Elder Ellen Vellenga, PCUSA
Mrs. Jo Vredenburg, Desert Palm UCC, Tempe, AZ
Rev Dr Randy Mayer, The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ
Ms. Becky Klein, Desert Palm United Church of Christ
Rev. Tom Martinez, Desert Palm UCC
Imam Ahmad Shqeirat
Rev. Christiane Heyde, Unitarian Universalist
The Rev. Dr. Eric Ledermann, University Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)
Ms. Rosalina Baldonado, Immaculate Heart Community
The Rev Dr. James W Ewing, PhD Jamed Ewing, Desert Palm UCC
Dr. Kit Danley, Neighborhood Ministries
Rev. Ailsa Guardiola Gonzalelz, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Tucson AZ
Rabbi Dean Shapiro, Temple Emanuel of Tempe

Arkansas
Co-President Sharon Berman, Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas
Co-President Toby Klein, Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas
Rev. Dr. Clint Schnekloth, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Spiritual Director John Ray, The Abide Collective
Rev. Mark Snodgrass, Bentonville Community Church of the Nazarene
Dr. Alan Johnson, Rogers First Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Jarod Ring, Keypoint Church

California

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Via, RCWP Bishop
Rev. Diane Mettam, United Methodist Church
Rev Margaret Decker, Trinity Episcopal Church
Rev. Mary Will, United Methodist Church
Rev. Sandie Richards, First United Methodist Church of San Fernando
Rev. Beverly Brewster, Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church
Dr. Charlene Jin Lee, Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Rev. David Mosgofian Koeker, Summerland Presbyterian Church
Rev. Emily Lin, Twin Towers United Methodist Church
Ms. Marian Cruz, Journey for Justice
Dr. David A. Smith, Irvine UCC
Rev. Dr. Eileen Altman, First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, UCC
Rev. Marilyn Chilcote, Beacon Presbyterian Fellowship
Rev. Robert McKenzie
Reverend Toni Stuart, St. Michael’s University Church
Sister Patricia Reinhart, Sisters of the Presentation, San Francisco
Rev. Allan B. Jones, United Methodist Church
Sister Jayne Helmlinger, CSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Rev. David Watermulder, Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos
Sr. Jean Schafer, S.A.V.E. Advocacy
Sr. Sheila Novak, S.A.V.E. Advocacy
Rev. Joellynn Monahan, theSpiralWay.org
Sister Catherine Burke, San Miguel Parish
Sr. Julie Kubasak, Daughters of Charity
Rev. Dr. Matthew Colwell, Knox Presbyterian Church
Rev. Marsha Harris, Central Lutheran Church-ELCA
Rev. Deacon Catherine Wagar, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Rev Joe Roos, Peace Mennonite Fellowship
The Rev. Joanne Leslie, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Frank Alton, St. Athanasius Episcopal Church
The Rt. Rev. Diane Jardine Bruce, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Elder Glenda Pawsey, St.John’s Presbyterian Church, Berkeley, CA
Fr. Richard Estrada, Church of the Epiphany
The Rt. Rev. John Taylor, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Rev. Canon Jaime Edwards-Acton, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Reverend Canon Susan Russell, All Saints Church, Pasadena
Rev Guy Leemhuis, Holy Faith Episcopal Church
The Rev Thomas Carey, Church of the Epiphany
Rev. Mike Kinman, All Saints Episcopal Church
Pastor JC Arce, Iglesia del Pacto
Rev. Paul Elder, St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Robert & Erica Romero, J4R Church
Deacon Nathanael Bacon, San Francisco RC Archdiocese/ INNERCHANGE
Rabbi Jonathan Klein, HOPE for All: Helping Others Prosper Economically
Rabbi Suzanne Singer, Temple Beth El
Rev. Donald Smith, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Ms. Christine Barker, Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries
Rev. Simon Biasell, Presbytery of San Joaquin
Rabbi Greg Wolfe, Congregation Bet Haverim
Rabbi Nancy Myers, Temple Beth David

Colorado

Rev Aaron Strietzel, Non-denominational
Rev. Gregory Garland, United Church of Broomfield
Mark Meeks, Capitol Heights Presbyteian Church
Rev. Gary Weaver, First Presbyterian
Rev Bonita Bock, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Dr. Robert Moss, Lutheran Church of the Master

Connecticut

Reverend Carla Dietz, First Congregational Church of Greenwich
The Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Presbytery of Southern New England
Rabbi Jordie Gerson, Greenwich Reform Synagogue

Delaware

Sister Ruth O’Connor, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Florida
Rev Margaret E Howland, Presbytery of Hudson River
Rev. Dr. Hiram Irizarry, UCC Minister, Ret
Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Congregation Beth Am

Georgia

Mr. Hilton Austin Jr, ELCA Southeastern Synod Advocacy
Ms. Marty Nelson, Catholic Church
Rev. Joyce Myers-Brown, Central Congregational United Church of Christ
Lay Leader Dorothy Foster, Nacoochee Presbyterian Church

Illinois

Rev. Jeremiah Thompson, Malta United Methodist Church
Rev. Larry Dunlap-Berg, United Methodist Church – Northern Illinois Conference
Rev. Dr. Linda Eastwood, McCormick Theological Seminary
Rev Kurt Simon, Presbyterian Church USA
Pastor Jeffrey Phillips, United Church of Christ
Sister Mary Carr, Dominican Sisters
Sister Marilyn Kofler, Sisters of Providence
Sister Marcelline Koch, Dominican Sisters, Springfield, IL
The Erica & Harry John Family Professor of Catholic Theological Ethics Dawn M. Nothwehr, OSF, Ph.D.,
Rochester Minnesota Franciscans
Sister Anita Cleary, Dominican Sister of Springfield Illinois
Ms. Anne Hilofsky, Springfield Dominican Associate
Sr. Kathlyn Mulcahy, OP, Dominican Sisters of Springfield
Sister Mary Clare Fichtner, Dominicans of Springfield, IL
Sister Teresina Grasso, Sisters of Providence
Sister Barbara Sheehan, Sisters of Providence
Sister Jane Beckman, Dominican
Father John Peeters, Saint Patrick Parish
Rev. Donald A. Riemer, St John United Church of Christ
Rev. Charles Bolser, Clerics of Saint Viator
Brother John Eustice, Clerics of St. Viator
Sister Jean Okroi, Illinois Women Religious against Human Trafficking
Sister Kathleen Ryan, OP, Dominican Literacy Center, Aurora
Sr. Lori Kirchman, Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL
Rev. Dr. Nayoung Ha, HANA Center
Rabbi Isaac Serotta, Makom Solel Lakeside

Indiana

Rev. Sarah Nowak, Pleasant View Lutheran Church, ELCA
Sr. Ginger Downey, Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters
Sister Mary Beth Klingel, Sisters of Providence
Sister Marjorie White, Sisters of St. Joseph TOSF
Congregational Minister Christa Franzer, Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg
Sr Barbara Battista SP, Sisters of Providence
SP Ann Casper, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-Woods, IN
Sister Mary Montgomery, Sisters of Providence
Sister Beth Wright, Sisters of Providence Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Indiana
Ms. Karen Sagraves, Central Christ Church
Gloria Memering, Sisters of Providence
Sister Mary Mundy, Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, IN
Sister Mary C Duffy, Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, IN
Sister Connie Kramer, SP, Sisters of Providence
Roman Catholic Jean Kenny, Sisters of Providence – Saint Mary of the Woods
Claire Hanson Claire Hanson, Sisters of Providence
Sister Rebecca Keller, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary of the Woods, IN
Sister Donna Butler, Sisters of Providence
Sister Barbara Ann Bluntzer, SP, Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods
Sr. Emily TeKolste, Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Sister Maureen Abbott, Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods
SP Sister Martha Wessel, Sisters of Providence
Sr. Marsha Speth, Sisters of Providence
Dr. Rosemary Nudd, Sisters of Providence
Mrs. Jeanne Frost, Central Christian Church, Disciples of Christ
Sister Cathleen Campbell, Sp, Sisters of Providence
Sister Carole Kimes, Sisters of Providence St Mary of the Woods
Sister Barbara Reder, Sisters of Providence
Sr. Jeanette Hagelskamp, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
Sister Denise Wilkinson, Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods
Sister Rita Clare Gerardot Rita Gerardot, Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
Providence Associate Amy Miranda, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

Iowa

Rev. and Ms Jim and Barbara Dale, First United Methodist Church
Reverend Eugene C Kutsch, Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, IA
Sister Richelle Friedman, Sisters of the Presentation
Sister Mary McCauley, Crossing Borders – Dubuque
Sister Maura McCarthy, Sisters of the Presentation
Sister Nancy Miller, Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque
Sister Joy Peterson, Sisters of the Presentations
Sister Rita Menart, Sisters of the Presentation

Kansas

Elder Ken Grenz, Great Plains UMC, Retired
Rev Laurie Anderson, IJAM-Immigrant Justice Advocacy Movement
Sister Therese Bangert, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth

Kentucky

Student Will Compton, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Sister Janice Downs, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Carolyn Wilson, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, KY
Sister Mary Middendorf, Sister of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Marilyn Shea
Sister Marlene Lehmkuhl, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Therese Arru, Sister of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Anna Marie Rhodes, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Sarah Ferriell, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Theresa Knabel, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Carole Kaucic, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Mary Ellen Doyle, SCN, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sister Rosemarie Kirwan, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky

Louisiana

Father Mark Watson, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Maine

Rev. Dr. Jacquelyn Brannen, United Methodist Church
Pastor Lorraine Kardash, Portland New Church
Rev. Donald Ashmall, International Council of Community Churches

Maryland

Rev. Charles Booker, Bethesda Presbyterian Church
Sister Marie McCarthy, Sisters of Providence
Rev. Melina Frame, Ecumenical Catholic Communion

Massachusetts

United States Mary Martha Thiel, United Church of Christ
Sister Betty Cawley, Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston
Jessica Price, Justice and Witness Ministry, United Church of Christ NH
Sister Anne Marie O’Shea, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Rabbi Kenneth Carr, Temple Chayai Shalom
United States William Krum, Eastham United Methodist Church
Rabbi Riqi Kosovske, Beit Ahavah

Michigan

Sister Karen Donahue, Sisters of Mercy
Rev. Barb McRae, P.C.U.S.A.
Rev. Monica M. Villarreal Monica Villarreal, Salem Lutheran Church
The Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford, Political Theology Matters, LLC
The Rev. Ruth Overdier Ruth Overdier, Bethany Lutheran
Sr. Rosemarie Abate, Sisters, Home Visitors of Mary
Rev. Allan Martling, UCC
Sister Patricia McCluskey, IHM, IHM Sisters, Monroe, MI
Sr. Marianne Gaynor, IHM Sisters
Deacon Kim Winchell, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Sr. Mary Ellen McDonald, Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters
Treasurer Margaret Chapman, SSIHM
Sr. Ellen Rinke, IHM, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, MI

Minnesota

Rev. Thomas Uphaus, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jane McBride, First Congregational Church of MN, UCC
Bishop Thomas Aitken, Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Pastor Terri Churchill, Third Way Church
Retired Pastor Joetta Handrich Schlabach, Faith Mennonite Church
Rev. Jennifer M.B. Moran, Moravian
Bishop Steven Delzer, Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
CSJ Consociate Hannah Pierson, Sister of St. Joseph

Missouri

Sister Carol Boschert, Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon, MO
Catherine Norris, Provincial of the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise
Sister Danielle Bonetti, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.org
Sister Marilyn Gottemoeller, RSM Marilyn Gottemoeller, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sr. Christine Garcia
Sister Joan Tolle, Sisters of St. Joseph

Nebraska

Rev. Dr. Damon Laaker, Grace Ev. Lutheran Church
Sister Margaret Hickey, Notre Dame Sisters, Omaha Province

New Jersey

Rev. David Shaw, Union Congregational Church, UCC
United States Russell Eidmann-Hicks, Reformed Church of Highland Park
The Rev. Carroll Arkema, Service for Counseling
Teacher Craig Clark, The Church of the Good Shepherd of Fort Lee, NJ (episcop.)

New Mexico

Reverend Judy Bierbaum, Na
Rev. Talitha Arnold, United Church of Santa Fe
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, Reformed Church in America, General Secretary Emeritus
The Rev. Benjamin Larzelere, Lutheran, ELCA
Rev. (Rtd.) Jack Anderson, ELCA
Rev. Dr. Dusty Pruitt, United Church of Christ
Reverend Gary Kowalski, Unitarian Congregation of Taos, New Mexico

New York

Rabbi Salem Pearce, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Rev. Kathy Donley, Emmanuel Baptist Church
Reverend John Long, Presbytery of Western New York
Sister Carol De Angelo, Sisters of Charity of New York
The Rev. Dr. Earl Johnson, Allbany Presbytery. PCUSA
The Reverend Tamara K Razzano, First Presbyterian Church, Little Falls
The Rev. Steven Plank, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Greater New York Labor Religion Coalition
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, Organizational Strategist
Ms. Claudia De Bellis, Sayville United Church of Christ
Reverend John Martin, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
Sister Doreen Glynn, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Phyllis Tierney, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester
Sr. Susan Wilcox, Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY Office of Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation
Communications Director Mary Smith, Church Women United in New York State
Elder Maria Studer, United Presbyterian Church
Sister Mary Jo Tallman, Sisters of St. Joseph
Sister Mary Bookman
Sister Charla Whimple, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Dolores Stevens
Sr Mary Ellen Shirtz, Sisters of St Joseph
Sister Mary Barron, Society of the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sister Maureen D’Onofrio, Sisters of St. Joseph
CSJ Associate Nancy Koltko, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Joanne St. Hilaire, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Jean Keating, Society of the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sister Patricia Houlihan, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Ms. Patricia John, Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Sharon Bailey, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester
Sister Jacqueline Johnas, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Maria Kellner, SSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, NY
Sister Marie Aloysius Schuh, Sister or St. Joseph of Carondelet
Sr Maureen McGowan, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
Rev. Mark Lukens, Bethany Congregational UCC
Sister Honora Kinney, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet
Sister Jeanne Lippincott, Sisters of St. Joseph
Sr. Margaret Keddell, Sisters Of St. Joseph

North Carolina

The Rev Christine Payden-Travers, Retired Episcopal priest
Reverend Cathy Tamsberg , Pullen Memorial Baptist Church
Deacon GeoRene Jones, NC Synod-ELCA
The. Reverend Danielle DeNise, North Carolina Synod, ELCA
Rev. Marsha Anderson, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Douglas Wingeier, Brooks-Howell Home
Rabbi Emily Losben-Ostrov, Temple of Israel

Ohio

The Rev. Marjorie Menaul, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Katharine L. Steele, First United Methodist Church
Rev. Luther Young, Woodland Christian Church
Sister Catherine Beck, Ursuline Sisters
Sister Virginia Ann Froehle. R.S.M. Virginia A. Froehle, Religious Sisters of Mercy
Sister Sheilamarie Tobbe, Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
Sister Jacquelyn Gusdane, Sisters of Notre Dame
Sister Margaret Gorman, SND
Oregon
The Reverend Dennis James Sagun Parker, St. David of Wales
Chair of immigration Joanne McClarty, Journey/Koinania Catholic Community
The Reverend Cecil Prescod, Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Member Orice Klaas, Journey Koinonia Community
Rev. Dave Bean, United Methodist
Rev. Dr. Eileen Dunn, Presbyterian Church USA
Dr. Daniel Brown, St. Philip Neri, Peace and Justice Commission
Sister Kathleen Cordes, Society of the Holy Child Jesus

Pennsylvania

Rev. Sandra Strauss, Market Square Presbyterian Church
Pastor Timothy Seitz-Brown, Lower Susquehanna Synod, Interim Pastor
Deacon Thomas Yenser, Atonement Lutheran Church
Ms. Deb Lorah, St. John Center Lutheran Church
Director of Children’s Ministry Stephanie Johnson, St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church
Mrs. Joyce Ray, First Lutheran Church
Rev. Sandra Mackie, ELCA
Rev. Dr. Gilson Waldkoenig, United Lutheran Seminary
The Reverend Frank Sayford, Retired member of Family of God Lutheran Church
Deacon Kathleen Afflerbach, St John’s Evangelical
Ms Jane Forry, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Fredrica Meitzen, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Deacon Beth Barkhau, Reformation Lutheran Church
Rev. Paul Hagedorn, Tabernacle Lutheran Church, Philadelphia
Sunday School Supt. Donald Hossler, St Peters Lutheran
Ms. Kathleen Murphy, ELCA
Rev. Roy Stetler, Faith United Lutheran Parish
Ms. Susan Barclay, Lazarus Gate Food Pantry
Ms. Janice Horn, Grace Lutheran, Clarion
United States Allan Wysocki, St. Paul Lutheran
Ms. Joan Elizabeth Seader, St John’s Lutheran Church-Melrose Park, PA
Rev. Deborah Mahady, Christ Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Patricia Snyder, St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Rev. Kim Truebenbach, ELCA
Rev. Theodore Cockley, St. John Lutheran Church, Montgomery, PA
Rev. Dr. Richard Stewart, United Lutheran Seminary (retired)
Rev. Daryl Nelson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Mrs. Sandra Brandt, Tree of Life Lutheran Church
Rev. Julie Recher, Atonement Lutheran Church
Rev. Susan Winger, Trinity Lutheran Church, Somerset, PA
Rev. Sigrid Hipkiss, Trindle Spring Lutheran Church
Rev. Ross Carmichael, St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Pastor Paul Metzloff, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Rev. David Fisher, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Millersville, PA
Sister Frances Murray, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Rev. John Yost, First Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Rev. William & Rosemary Krenz, Former LIRS Resettlement Leaders
Sister Rose Patrice Rose Patrice Kuhn, IHM
Sister Eileen Marnien , Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
Sr. Patrice Hughes, Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Rev. Dr, Joe Leonard, American Baptist Clergy
Sister Diane Bardol, Insure Our Future
Sister Sharon Costello, CSJ Sharon Costello, Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, PA
Rev. Michael K. Fischer Michael Fischer, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Mrs. Judy Weber, Perry Highway Lutheran Church
Deacon Carol Detweiler, New Hanover Lutheran Church
Sr. Toby Lardie, HM, Sisters of the Humility of Mary
Rabbi Charles Briskin, Shir Ami
Rabbi Beth Kalisch, Beth David Reform Congregation
Rabbi Paula Goldberg, Shir Ami

South Carolina

Rev. Hillary Taylor, Bethany/Zoar United Methodist Charge

South Dakota

Rev. Mrs. Jean McCusker, United Church of Christ (Retired)
Rev. Dr. Julia Aegerter, Retired

Tennessee

Ms. Elizabeth Welliver, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Rev Michael Arseneau, Lakeview Fellowship
Pastor Shelby Lewis, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Miss Tiffany Jones, United Church of Christ
Student of Vanderbilt Divinity School Perrin Bailey, University United Methodist Church
Dr. Mary Early-Zald, First Unitarian Universalist Church Nashville
Pastor and Worship Leader and Youth Pastor and Seminarian and Child of Church Communities
Rebecca Griffin, Christ UMC (Mobile, Al), Brookmeade UCC (Nashville, TN), Vanderbilt Divinity School
Rev. Dr. Lillian Lammers, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Student Diane Palmer, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Rev. Brandon Gilvin, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Rev. Brad Whitaker, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Katrina Payne, The Mission Chattanooga
Pastor Joshua Miles Baker, Mission Chattanooga
Rev. Ann Weaver, Mission Red Bank
Reverend Matt Busby, Mission Chattanooga
Rev. Laura Becker, Northminster Presbyterian Church
Rev. V. Thomas Banks, Ashland Terrace Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Rev. Leyla King, Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church
Rev. C. Barry Kidwell, Mustard Tree Ministries, Inc.
Reverend Martha Louisa Tucker, Episcopal
Rev. Tricia Dillon Thomas, Renaissance Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Claire Brown, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Texas

Sister Cecile Roeger, Dominican Sisters of Houston
Rev. Robert Mueller, Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Edward Kern, Trinity Lutheran Church ELCA
Ms. Barbara Grove, St. David’s Episcopal Church
Sister Sharon Altendorf, Presentation Sisters
Rev. Dr. Bart Roush Bart Roush, Madison Square Presbyterian Church
Rev. Virginia Courtney, Madison Square Presbyterian Church
Sister JT Dwyer Sister, Daughters of Charity
Rev. Jessie Light-Wells, PC(USA)
United States Sister Miriam Mitchell, Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate
Pastor Mark Cloherty, Iglesia La Luz en el Barrio
Mr. Sami DiPasquale, Abara Frontiers
Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis, CCAR
Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Faith Commons
Sister Katrina Ruane, Sisters of the Holy Spirit
Dr. Monty Lynn, Highland Church of Christ

Vermont

Reverend Jan Jorgensen, Essex Association, United Church of Christ

Virginia

Reverend Laura Stratton, Page UMC
Rev. Max Blalock, William & Mary Wesley Campus Ministry
Elder Rachel Sutphin, Columbia Theological Seminary
The Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Virginia Synod ELCA
Pastor William King, Luther Memorial Lutheran (retired)
Bishop Robert F Humphrey, Virginia Synod, ELCA
Rev. Drew Nettinga, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jonathan Hamman, Rural Retreat Lutheran Parish
Rev. Patrick Freund, North Mountain Lutheran Parish
Rev. Dr Mary Louise Brown, St. Paul Lutheran Church Strasburg, VA
The Rev. Lance Karl Braun, Parish Pastor Lance Karl Braun, Mount Tabor and Redeemer Lutheran Churches
Rev. John Wertz, Virginia Synod, ELCA
Rev. Ingrid Chenoweth, Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
Rev. Barbara Krumm, Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church
Dawnielle Miller, Landmark Community Church
Mr. Leons Kabongo, Young Jupiter Market Garden
Pastor Justin Pearson, Sojourn Church
Rev. Tim Bobbitt, First Christian Church of Alexandria
Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein, Congregation Ner Shalom
Rev. Dr. Nathan Swenson-Reinhold, Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Rev. Annabelle Markey, Community Lutheran Church
Rev. Kate Davidson, Faith Lutheran Church
Rabbi Doctor Rosalind A. Gold, Retired

Washington

Reverend Paul Benz, Faith Action Network – Washington State
Rev Kay Barckley, University Temple UMC
Rabbi Avi Fine, Temple De Hirsch Sinai
Rev. Kathleen McCallum Sachse, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
Rev. Ruth Marston-Bihl, Trinity United Methodist Church, Seattle
The Rev. Kathleen Patton, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Tim Feiertag, Trinity Lutheran Church
Rev. Catharine Cline, United Church in University Place
Children’s Ministry Director Becky Cole, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
Rev. Chelsea Globe, ELCA
Rev. Francine Inslee, Community of Christ
Rev. Terry Teigen, United Church of Christ
Member Mary Fournier, Woodland Park Presbyterian Church
Member Nancy Horman, Selfwoodland Park Presbyterian Church
Rev. Meighan Pritchard, Prospect United Church of Christ
Rev Judi Edwards, United Church of Christ
Rev. Karyn Frazier, Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ
Rev. Kerry Kesey, Englewood Christian Church
Me. Carol Long
Rev. Cynthia L. Salo, Central Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Dee Eisenhauer, Eagle Harbor Congregational United Church of Christ

Washington, DC

Dr. James Winkler, National Council of Churches
Bro. Brian McLauchlin, Divine Word Missionaries
Sister Maureen Foltz, Carmelite Sisters of Charity
The Reverend Jadon Hartsuff, All Souls Episcopal Church
Rev. Alisa Lasater Wailoo, Capitol Hill United Methodist
Rabbi Hannah Spiro, Hill Havurah

West Virginia

Rev. Jeffrey Allen, West Virginia Council of Churches

Wisconsin

Rev. Dr. Frederick Trost, Lake Edge UCC, Madison, WIPlease Select
Reverend Robert Harman, United Methodist Church
Ms. Susan Elias, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Sr. Karen Fredrickson, Dominican Sister
Sister Lois, Racine Dominicans
Rev Tom Williams, Retired
SP Dorothy Rasche, Sisters of Providence
Rev. Edward Kilianski, Priests of the Sacred Heart
Sister Debra Sciano, School Sisters of Notre Dame

Refugee Industry Holds Three Day Lobbying Campaign, Wants 95,000 Refugees for FY2021

09/04/202009/09/2020 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) just completed a three-day grassroots lobbying campaign to pressure members of Congress into supporting a refugee admissions ceiling of 95,000 refugees*** who would begin arriving in the US in a few short weeks—the 2021 fiscal year begins October 1.

Of course it isn’t Congress that makes that decision it is the Executive branch as stated by law in the Refugee Act of 1980. Their campaign, that ran from Tuesday through Thursday this week, was designed for several reasons.

They want Senators and members of Congress to pressure the administration, they want the media to pay attention to an issue that has almost completely disappeared from the news, and they want to give their groupies and grassroots around the country something to do on an issue that they think makes the President look bad before November.

You can see their “toolkit” (they love toolkits) complete with talking points and contact information for representatives in Washington.

Here is their sample script because I guess they assume their people aren’t smart enough to figure out what to say:

Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and I urge you to hold the administration accountable to resettling refugees. The administration is required by law to consult with Congress by September 30th before deciding the refugee admissions goal for Fiscal Year 2021. In the last three years, the administration has cut refugee resettlement by more than 80%, from the historic average goal of 95,000 to just 18,000 – an all-time low. Our country can – and should – safely resettle more refugees and reunite more families. Refugees have contributed greatly to America in ordinary times, and have continued to show up for their new communities during the COVID-19 crisis, with many on the frontlines, including 176,000 serving as healthcare workers and 175,000 working in the food supply chain. Please do everything in your power to see that the administration meaningfully consults with Congress and builds back refugee admissions to the historic norm of 95,000. My community welcomes refugees, and I urge you to reflect the best of our nation by supporting refugee resettlement.”

In addition to contacting one’s own rep, they want their folks to contact the following members and Senators:

Sen. Graham (R-SC), Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee: 202-224-5972 / @LindseyGrahamSC
Sen. Cornyn (R-TX), Chair, Senate Immigration Subcommittee: 202-224-2934 / @JohnCornyn
Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee: 202-224-3841 / @SenFeinstein
Senator Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member, Senate Immigration Subcommittee: 202-224-2152 / @SenatorDurbin
Rep. Nadler (NY-10), Chair, House Judiciary Committee: 202-225-5635 / @RepJerryNadler
Rep. Lofgren (CA-19), Chair, House Immigration Subcommittee: 202-225-3072 / @RepZoeLofgren
Rep. Jordan (OH-04), Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee: (202) 225-2676 / @Jim_Jordan
Rep. Buck (CO-04), Ranking Member, House Immigration Subcommittee: 202-225-4676 / @RepKenBuck

Read it all here.

And, see my extensive file on the Refugee Council USA, the Washington DC lobbying arm of the refugee industry. Hmmmm! At one point Islamic Relief USA had been removed from their membership roster, but I see it is back.

Don’t miss my post from Wednesday about the campaign to get local elected officials on board to support huge numbers of refugees for your towns and cities.

***Joe Biden says he is going to go big and change whatever Trump proposes to 125,000 for FY2021 if he is elected President. Truth be told, there isn’t enough capacity within the contractor industry to support that number, heck they can’t adequately resettle 95,000 now either.

Open for Business! US Refugee Admissions Jump in August

09/02/202009/09/2020 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

1,318 refugees moved to America in the month of August. That is a huge jump from the previous COVID ‘crisis’ months that saw 522 arrive over a four month period from April through July.

Forty states welcomed the third worlders who will now need shelter, food, and medical care as US citizens continue to struggle themselves with those same needs.

Of the nine states and the District of Columbia that were unwelcoming, three are worth mentioning. Vermont (Bernie), Delaware (Biden) and the District of Columbia didn’t take any.

Here is the map for August from the Refugee Processing Center.

I know the numbers are hard to read, so here are the top ten welcoming states (sure send us more poor people!): Texas, California, Washington, Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia.

Presidential Determination for 2021 due by the end of the month!

September 30th marks the end of the fiscal year and the President is required to tell Congress this month how many refugees the administration would like to admit in the coming fiscal year.

Joe Biden and Ted Kennedy set up the Refugee Admissions Program that has been operating to bring in more Democrat voters for 40 years. But, I’ve found it ever-so-amusing that Delaware has welcomed only a tiny, tiny number of refugees in those 4 decades.

I haven’t seen anything yet about where the negotiations stand, but if this is like other years there is much negotiating going on behind the scenes. Of course the President could put off making any determination in light of the more important business facing the federal government right now.

Even if Trump sets a low ceiling, as he has done in previous years, it is just a ceiling and doesn’t mean that it must be reached. And, if Biden succeeds in November, all bets are off.

Biden has already promised 125,000 refugees for 2021.

I thought you might be interested in this data at the Refugee Processing Center which shows the ceiling and the actual admissions for the last ten years. Take note of the fact that Obama himself never brought in anywhere near 125,000 in a year.

August 2020 data (1,318) had not been added yet.

And, these numbers do not include the Special Immigrant Visas from Iraq and Afghanistan that are treated with the same benefits as refugees.

As soon as I see anything about what the President is proposing for 2021, I’ll report.

Remember, as we have said for four years, he can set the arrival number at zero!

Brookings to Biden: Bring in Even Greater Numbers of Refugees During COVID Pandemic

08/13/2020 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

By bringing in even greater numbers than we have in the past we can show the world that we have “moral authority” and even those dastardly Chinese will have to pay attention!

America needs more Rohingya refugees so we can show the world that we have moral authority and the rest of the globe will follow us to multicultural Nirvana.

They are all getting excited for Biden/Harris and here the Leftwing Brookings Institution*** in Washington says forget the idea of simply restoring our Refugee Admissions Program, it needs to be reformed to be even more robust when Biden gets to the White House in January 2021.

I thought I was going to be reading about real reform of the program when this headline was brought to my attention. But alas, reform=more poor (sick!) third worlders for your town.

COVID-19 and the chance to reform US refugee policy

COVID-19 has exposed the underlying fault lines in societies around the world and in modern globalization. Yet by revealing long ignored flaws, it presents a rare chance to reform.

Authors of this prescription for Biden. Yeh, we are going to take advice from a Turk telling us to go big with our refugee admissions numbers?

Unsurprisingly, refugees — the vast majority of whom live deeply precarious lives — have been among the most threatened by the pandemic.

Actually, no, as I have been reporting, the pandemic has barely touched refugee camps worldwide.

A new U.S. administration should seize the opportunity presented by COVID-19 to build a better refugee policy, both for refugees’ benefit and for U.S. national security and strategic interests. [No one has ever shown me that our national security benefits from bringing in people from countries that hate us!—ed]

With the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees approaching in 2021, now is an opportune time for an update to U.S. refugee policy.

[….]

Today, vibrant [They cannot write a refugee story without using that word!—ed] refugee communities can be found in cities like Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, which host the largest number of Vietnamese, Kurds, and Bosnians in the United States, respectively. [Notice they don’t mention the vibrant community of Somali Muslims in Minneapolis!—ed]

A compelling argument can be made that America needs refugees and owes part of its economic success to those who came to its shores seeking shelter from persecution and violence. The arrival of refugees helped to uphold America’s identity as a multicultural nation that accepts all victims of persecution who would come to its shores.

But that evil creature Trump has caused our “moral authority” to go into the toilet!

Blah, blah, blah…

I’m very interested to learn, if it’s true, that a battle is going on among Ds about whether to restore the program or go bigger….

As the 2020 presidential election draws near, a key division amongst Democrats who hope to see President Trump leave office in 2021 is between the restorationists, who think things can go back to the way they were before Trump, and the reformists, who see the hurricane of the Trump administration as an opportunity to build back stronger. COVID-19 should render this debate moot with regards to U.S. refugee policy.

Biden has already said he is going big in January (but won’t the pandemic still be raging in January)! And, I have no doubt he and Kamala will be eager to jump on the UN bandwagon on the Global Compact on Refugees!

There are already signs that a post-Trump United States could adopt a more helpful stance on refugees. Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to rescind the Trump administration’s Muslim ban, restore access to asylum, and increase yearly refugee resettlement quotas to 125,000, a move that would show solidarity with countries hosting large numbers of refugees and likely spur U.S. allies to follow suit. There is also support in Congress for shouldering a greater refugee burden, as seen with Refugee Protection Act proposed in November 2019.

With a definitive end to the COVID-19 pandemic nowhere in sight, the threat facing refugees and the political stability of their host countries calls for the next administration to go beyond simply restoring the traditional U.S. leadership role on refugees. To address the challenge of rebuilding after COVID-19, the United States should endorse the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR).

And then this! By bringing in even greater numbers of refugees we can stick it to China, say the great minds at Brookings?

A revamped U.S. commitment to helping refugees carries direct benefits for U.S. national security priorities, in particular with respect to the strategic rivalry posed by a rising China.

Firstly, revamping its leadership role in managing refugee resettlement would go a long way in helping America reclaim the moral leadership it has enjoyed in past decades, which enabled it to create unique solutions to problems.

America’s support for refugees does more for it in a “battle of ideas” than its military and economic capacity alone: an America that actively protects the less fortunate might more easily win hearts and minds globally while also serving its own national security interests.

It drives me mad, when they say things like that—“win hearts and minds globally”—with not a bit of proof that anyone loves us more, surely not the Chinese!

And what about Americans’ hearts and minds!

The devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed deep flaws in countries around the world and endangered the health and livelihoods of millions. To build a better, more democratic, more equitable world after the pandemic, the United States could start by helping refugees, rather than what it can do by merely seeking its own benefit.

In the wake of the Chinese virus crisis the US has only one obligation and that is to take care of Americans FIRST!

***Brookings tries to pretend it is centrist however,

Starting with the 1990 election cycle, employees of the Brookings Institution gave $853,017 to Democratic candidates and $26,104 to Republican candidates. In total, since 1990, 96 percent of its political donations have gone to Democrats.