Category: Asylum seekers

Malta Update: New US ambassador plans to follow ‘tea party Molly’s’ lead

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Longtime readers will recall that ‘tea party Molly’ (I called her that before ‘tea party’ took on a whole new meaning!)  is the former ambassador to Malta who set in motion a new policy for refugee resettlement that could set a precedent and have far-reaching implications.  The tiny island nation of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea is continually besieged by boat loads of Africans originating in places like Libya (with the help of human traffickers) and landing on Malta’s shores.   Some of the Africans, including a large number of Somalis, are then transformed into “refugees” bound for the US.

Use our search function for Malta to review the issue which we have been covering for a couple of years.  

In an interview reported at Malta Today, the new Ambassador to Malta, Douglas Kmiec, appears ready to continue the same plan—sending some of Malta’s illegal aliens (surely a large number are economic migrants who wanted in to Europe) to the US as “refugees.”  See this post about how Frontex (EU border control agency) has warned Malta and the US that this—a free trip to America—is a “pull factor” for illegal immigrants.

Here is a portion of the Kmiec interview:

For the past years, the US has been one of the few nations to share Malta’s burden on immigration through resettlement programmes.

But haven’t US policies in Somalia, which included support for warlords and tacit support for an invasion by Ethiopia, contributed to the exodus of Somalis from the country, which directly affects Malta?

Kmiec is willing to admit that “some of our policies have increased the instability in the region… We introduced a level of instability which caused a portion of the population to migrate and that is not a good thing. We have to recognise that.”

But the problem of migration is larger than that. “People in Africa, whether from Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan or Eritrea, are seeking a better life for their families and an economic opportunity, a life where they are not threatened by violence and warlords…”

They are no different from Kmiec’s own grandfather, who migrated from Poland, and his wife’s Irish parents. “When these people come to our home and sit down telling us their story we may as well be listening to the stories of an American grandparent.”

[No, they are not your grandparents! Your grandparents got in a line to come legally, your grandparents were not potential jihadists and your grandparents did not come to the welfare state we have today.  They had to make it on their own with no ‘public assistance!”-ed]

African immigrants to the US often ask him what being an American means. “It starts with being yourself and sharing that self [what?]. I tell them when you go Minnesota, Arizona, Georgia and all the places where we resettled migrant families, do not hesitate to interact with the rest of the population.”

According to Kmiec, the primary motivation for re-settlement of migrants from Malta to the US is that of showing appreciation to Malta’s efforts to maintain the safety of migrants in the sea.

“One of the ways through which the USA has said thank you to Malta for this effort in behalf of the world, is to take some of these people.”

So, let me get this straight, the US was mucking around in Africa so we caused the “instability” in places like Somalia, and besides we (the US) want to thank Malta for rescuing these poor people from the sea?  Oh brother!

Please read Douglas Kmiec’s wikipedia page!  Wouldn’t you think that for all he did for Obama (Republicans for Obama and more!) he would have gotten a bigger country than Malta!  Although maybe the Obama Administration needed just this sort of guy to continue this policy of scooping up illegal immigrants bound for Europe and providing them with all the perks associated with Refugee Resettlement!

Comment worth noting: Reader says many Somalis are economic migrants not true refugees

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Last night we had a comment from Ibrahim Omar commenting on the post from a few days ago where we reported that up to possibly 13,000 additional Somali “refugees” were in the pipeline to come to the US this year.  Here is what Mr. Omar said:

most Somalis in the list of us resettlement are not genuine asylum seekers but are economical refugees why do i say that, well half of them are Kenyan citizen taking advantage of the screening officers ignorance of differentiating Somalis and Kenyan Somali if need be i can. pin point for those who are among them thank you

Readers should know that “economic migrants” are NOT “refugees” according to the United Nations (and the US) which defines refugees (and asylum seekers) as those fearing persecution in their homeland.   In light of the fraud uncovered in 2008 regarding Somali family reunification, the only responsible thing for the State Department to do is to follow-up on Mr. Omar’s charge.

State Department, e-mail me at Ann@vigilantfreedom.com and I’ll put you in touch with Mr. Omar who has offered his services to help you sort it out.

Some welcome refugees: German home schoolers granted asylum

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) reports:

In a case with international ramifications, Immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman granted the political asylum application of a German homeschooling family. The Romeikes are Christians from Bissinggen, Germany, who fled persecution in August 2008 to seek political asylum in the United States. The request was granted January 26 after a hearing was held in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 21.

“We can’t expect every country to follow our constitution,” said Judge Burman. “The world might be a better place if it did. However, the rights being violated here are basic human rights that no country has a right to violate.”

Burman added, “Homeschoolers are a particular social group that the German government is trying to suppress. This family has a well-founded fear of persecution…therefore, they are eligible for asylum…and the court will grant asylum.”

In his ruling, Burman said that the scariest thing about this case was the motivation of the government. He noted it appeared that rather than being concerned about the welfare of the children, the government was trying to stamp out parallel societies—something the judge called “odd” and just plain “silly.” In his order the judge expressed concern that while Germany is a democratic country and is an ally, he noted that this particular policy of persecuting homeschoolers is “repellent to everything we believe as Americans.”

Homeschooling did not always have such a settled status as a human right in the U.S., or such vocal champions in the courts as this judge.  It took a lot of work over many years by homeschooling activists and supporters to get it where it is today. And there are still some who would deny homeschoolers their rights; I won’t recount recent horror stories, but you can check around on the HSLDA website if you’re interested. But in Germany, the report says,

The persecution of homeschoolers in Germany has been intensifying over the past several years. They are regularly fined thousands of dollars, threatened with imprisonment, or have the custody of their children taken away simply because they choose to home educate.

There have been custody cases here in which homeschooled children were taken away, but at least it’s not national policy.  This is a wonderful use of asylum, and I applaud Judge Burman. I hope the decision helps Germany realize the error of its ways.

Hat tip: Mere Comments

Addendum:  Ann points out that we hope Germany will be as rigorous stamping out parallel Muslim societies as they are with Christian homeschoolers!

Sri Lankan boat people to be resettled

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

This is an update from Australia where a group of 78 Sri Lankan “refugees” (were they Tamils, this article doesn’t say) are being resettled in Australia, Canada and New Zealand after a long stand-off at sea and a temporary home in Indonesia.

Indonesia reportedly told Australia — we aren’t helping you anymore with your illegal immigrant problems!

We first told you about the story, here, in October.  

Below is a portion of the update today:

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – After staying in Riau`s immigration detention center for almost three months, all 78 Sri Lankan immigrants, who had earlier been `rescued` by Australia`s customs vessel Oceanic Viking, have finally left Riau, for third countries, either Australia, Canada or New Zealand.

Escorted by Indonesian foreign ministry and Australian embassy officials, the last batch of the immigrants left Riau on Wednesday (Jan. 20). The 16 immigrants were flown to Jakarta before proceeding to Australia and the Philippines.

“They are the last batch of a total of 78 Sri Lankan immigrants who were accommodated at the Tanjungpinang immigration detention center after they had to get off the Australian vessel Oceanic Viking,” Samsu Rizal, an Indonesian foreign ministry official, said in Tanjungpinang, Riau Province, Wednesday (Jan. 20).

[…..]

The deportation of Sri Lanka refugee in Indonesia to Canada and Australia, he added, was part of the Australian government`s initiative.

He explained the 78 Sri Lankans were allowed to stay on Indonesian territory for some time because Indonesia wanted to help Australia overcome the problem they posed after they were caught trying to reach Australian shores in rickety boats.

“But this will be the last time we are helping Australia deal with its foreign refugee influx problem,” Sujatmiko said adding that Indonesia did not incur any expenditures for the deportation since all the related costs were borne by the United Nations.

[….]

Despite the departure of the 78 refugees, it seems that the foreign immigrant problem is still far from over. [no kidding!]

By the way, I never did hear how the issue of the Tamils landing in Vancouver ended (if it ended).

Supreme Court to hear Somali case? Do we protect war criminals?

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

That is what All Gov* is reporting yesterday.  Here is the whole story from Noel Brinkerhoff:

The former head of Somalia’s military is now the focus of a potential landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court which will decide whether foreign officials now living in the country can be subject to U.S. law.

Mohamed Ali Samantar, once Somalia’s minister of defense under the Siad Barre regime in the 1980s, now lives in Fairfax, Virginia. He has been accused by some Somalis of overseeing a campaign of torture, imprisonment and executions directed at political prisoners. The allegations include authorizing the 1988 military attacks that killed more than 5,000 people in Hargeisa, the nation’s second largest city.

The Center for Justice & Accountability has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Somali survivors who want Samantar punished for his actions. The case, Yousuf v. Samantar, relies on the Torture Victim Protection Act which Congress passed in 1991. The law states that foreign government officials accused of torture who now live in the U.S. can be accountable under American law as long as there is no effective judicial system in the country where the crimes were committed. Plaintiffs are arguing that the chaotic state of Somalia today makes it impossible to bring Samantar to justice back home.

Samantar insists that he is protected from legal action in the U.S. under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act which grants immunity from American lawsuits to government officials from other nations.

I’m not a lawyer but I wonder if this case will have some bearing eventually on Gitmo prisoners  should they be released in the US (I heard about the possible release of some on a  talking-head show yesterday).

*  I was not aware of All Gov (Everything our Government really does) before I saw this story, but it’s an interesting website, check it out.