Update from Rome: Tensions high at refugee center, minors evacuated

11/14/2014 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

We reported on Wednesday that local residents in one neighborhood of Rome have had it with the local refugee center claiming the asylum seekers have brought crime to their community.

See our original story here.

Reader ‘pungentpeppers’ spotted this latest news and asks why Italy is even giving refuge to mostly Muslim Egyptians and Bangladeshis. My guess is that—just as is happening in the US with the so-called Unaccompanied Alien Children—everyone who is an economic migrant (not a legitimate refugee) and wanting to get into a first world country these days is claiming they are persecuted and are demanding asylum. They know how to use that “A” word! Someone has taught them how to use it!

Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino, …the building has been “seriously damaged.” Photo from story about Rome being broke: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/rome-spared-bankruptcy-italy-rescue-matteo-renzi

From Deutsche Welle:

On Thursday, workers at a refugee center on the outskirts of Rome reported renewed tensions with local residents, who have been holding violent demonstrations against the foreigners in recent days.

“We are scared. We are trying to find a compromise with the residents,” a center official, Francesco Amato, told the Associated Press news agency. The refugees currently being housed at the facility are reported to be primarily from Egypt and Bangladesh.

Amid the upswing in violence despite a heavy police presence, minors were evacuated from the site. [The movement of UACs is going on around the world—ed]

A statement from Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino’s office indicated that the building in the eastern suburb of Tor Sapienza had been “seriously damaged,” according to Reuters news agency.

Hostilities escalated on Monday, with protesters throwing stones and bottles at the center as they shouted insults at its residents.

“Rome rejects all forms of violence, racism and xenophobia,” Marino said in the statement.

Conflicting reports have described the protesters in Tor Sapienza, on the one hand, as disgruntled Italian natives whose ire is directed at the government’s insufficient support for the refugees and, on the other, as far-right xenophobes.

For new readers, check our ‘Invasion of Europe’ series for background on how Italy got into this mess in the first place by sending its Navy out to rescue boats filled with illegal aliens coming from North Africa.

Then this about a country in economic turmoil as it is, from DW:

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Italy will be home to nearly 80,000 refugees and close to 14,000 asylum seekers by January.

For US readers, we are bringing you news from Europe (going over the edge!) so that you know what might be ahead for us as migrant numbers reach a certain critical tipping point. Will Obama bring us there quickly with his threatened amnesty for millions?

Maine governor re-elected, keeps his word, cuts welfare for illegal aliens, asylum seekers

11/14/2014 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Longtime readers know we have closely followed the controversy in Maine (archive here) where the state had gained a reputation around the country (and probably the third-world) as the state to go to and apply for asylum. Why? Because even as federal law does not say asylum seekers can get welfare during their wait for the legal process to play out, Maine was giving hand-outs to the “undocumented.”

Paul LePage for President? (That little book he is holding is the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution published by the Heritage Foundation.)

Republican Governor LePage vowed to reform Maine’s reputation as the go-to state for taxpayer-funded goodies and he was re-elected in blue New England.

And, btw, it was Maine’s generosity that attracted the first Somalis to Lewiston, Maine. See our entire Lewiston archive for the mess that created.

Have we found our Marine Le Pen, or Geert Wilders, or Nigel Farage, or Jimmie Akesson, or Matteo Salvini ?

Interesting don’t you think—a whiff of conservatism creeping into New England!

Here is the latest from Reuters:

PORTLAND Maine (Reuters) – Maine’s largest city has begun clamping down on spending as newly re-elected Republican Governor Paul LePage makes good on a campaign promise to cut funding to cities and towns that give aid to undocumented immigrants.

In an internal memo released on Wednesday, Portland city officials said they had frozen hiring and cut travel and overtime spending after their requests for reimbursement from the state for assistance provided to families with children in emergencies had gone unanswered since July.

The budget shortfall could grow to as much as $3 million this year, city officials said, a hefty sum that underscores the increasingly local impact of the tense congressional standoff over national immigration reform.

“We just don’t have that kind of money sitting around, so we need to act prudently,” said city spokeswoman Jessica Grondin. “We’re in a holding pattern until we receive some kind of official response.”

Tea Party-backed LePage, who was re-elected last week with a strong mandate to reform the state’s welfare system, had threatened in June to cut funding to municipalities that give state-reimbursed general assistance to undocumented immigrants.

“Tell your city councilors and selectmen to stop handing out your money to illegals,” LePage said in a radio address.

Then take note of this next paragraph…..

“It basically came down as an edict from the governor,” said municipal association spokesman Eric Conrad. “How can you expect a municipal clerk to determine immigration status when they’ve never done that before, and haven’t been trained?”

Train them!

When I speak with people who know nothing about the immigration horrors going on in America, they are always stunned to learn that NO one EVER asks for documentation relating to immigration status—not colleges accepting students and collecting tuition, not welfare offices, not motor vehicle administration offices and not board of election offices. I know this from personal experience. If documentation were required it would cut down ultimately on the number of illegal aliens of all stripes living in America!

Now be sure to go to the Reuters story to see the comments! As of this writing there are 1,806—mostly supporting the Governor! And, some suggesting he run for President of the United States.

Groundbreaking case in Europe: Countries can stop welfare shoppers

11/13/2014 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Here is more ‘invasion of Europe’ news that gives me an idea for a change in US law.

Maybe there is a way to amend some American laws to give states the right to restrict welfare handouts so that we don’t see cases like the recent one in Cheyenne, WY where Somalis arrived, not to work, but to scoop up subsidized housing vouchers to take back to Colorado.

Is a little bit of sovereignty being returned to European countries?

From The Telegraph (EU court rules benefit tourists can be excluded from welfare schemes):

The European Court of Justice declares EU member states must have ‘the possibility of refusing’ social benefits to ‘economically inactive’ EU citizens.

Britain can ban European Union migrants from claiming “special non-contributory cash benefits” for up to five years, according to a landmark judgement in Luxembourg.

The EU courts have ruled that it is up to the Government, not Brussels, how it drafts legislation that that excludes foreign, European nationals from claiming social assistance benefits.

As well as asserting national sovereignty over out-of-work welfare benefits, the European Court of Justice has stopped unemployed migrants from using human rights legislation to appeal against measures blocking them from benefits.

[….]

The German case involved two Romanian nationals, Elisabeta Dano and her son Florin, who were refused benefits in Leipzig because she “did not enter Germany in order to seek work there”.

She and her son have been residing in Germany since November 2010.

“One of the conditions for a right of residence is that economically inactive persons must have sufficient resources of their own,” said the EU court. “The directive thus seeks to prevent economically inactive EU citizens from using the host member state’s welfare system to fund their means of subsistence.”

Photo: There is another story at DPA International quoting Scheuer on the decision:

“Those who only come to Germany wanting to lay in the social hammock can be denied social benefits.”

But don’t forget, it is Germany that has invited tens of thousands of Syrians to live there, and the city of Cologne recently purchased that 4-star hotel for migrants. So, me thinks, there is a little schizophrenia going on here with the potential for a huge clash coming in Germany at some point. Either that, or it is perfectly acceptable to Scheuer and other leaders to allow “refugees” and “asylum seekers” to lay around in hammocks, but not citizens of other European countries.

For our ‘Invasion of Europe’ archive go here.

Ohio University program geared to get the kids’ minds right on refugees…

11/13/2014 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

….presents “harrowing” tale about the “multinational nature of the refugee experience” as a Somali illegal alien arrives in America.

That story about the Somali arriving in the US illegally across our southern border is most interesting to me.

Ethnographer Tariq Tarey will tell harrowing story about illegal alien Somali sneaking into America. http://tariqtarey.com/about/

If you happen to live anywhere near Ohio University Lancaster, you might want to check out the program next week.

From Logan Daily:

LANCASTER – November is a month where many remember to be thankful for what they have. During International Education Week, Lancaster campus students, faculty and staff will have an opportunity to hear from refugees in Central Ohio who are very thankful to be living here.

The campuses at Ohio University have different themes during International Week to examine issues of cultural tolerance and understanding.

“The theme for Ohio University Lancaster’s International Education Week is Safe Haven: Refuge in Ohio,” said OUL development director Mandi Custer. “We will be looking at the different cultures that have come into Central Ohio from places like Rwanda and Somalia.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., a panel discussion will be held (“Voices of Refuge”) in the Raymond S. Wilkes Gallery for the Visual Arts. The panel will be made up of refugees from around the globe talking about how they came to the United States and Central Ohio.

[….]

On Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m., conflict in another country will take center stage at OUL. Somali Refugee and Documentarian Tariq Tarey will speak in the Wagner Theatre.

Then isn’t this interesting, presented as if there is nothing wrong with Somalis (or anyone) arriving illegally across our southern border, Tariq Tarey will talk about an illegal alien Somali.

So where did the poor struggling Somali illegal alien get the money to travel half way across the world to Colombia, and up through Panama, Central America and across all of Mexico with no one stopping him along the way? Will anyone dare ask that question of presenter Tariq Tarey?

And, while you are asking, ask why the star of his documentary needed to come illegally when we have resettled over one hundred thousand Somalis over a couple of decades—there is a legal line for Somalis!

The Logan Daily continues:

According to the Somali Community Association of Ohio***, Somali refugees started arriving in the U.S. in 1991. Since 1995, Columbus, Ohio, has proven to be a popular destination for refugees, and today Ohio has the second largest Somali population in the U.S. It is estimated that there are at least 38,000 Somali immigrants and refugees living in the Columbus metropolitan area.

Tarey will talk about how and why refugees from Somalia end up in Central Ohio. He’ll also show clips from his documentaries, which focus on the stories of refugees.

“One of the stories is of a man who literally walked from South America to California to get into the states,” said Custer.

“Tarey’s documentary on the Darién Gap is harrowing, but also interesting,” said Ohio University Lancaster English Assistant Professor Matt Wanat. “It uses the journey of one man through a stretch of dense forest and swamp between Colombia and Panama to document both the multinational nature of the refugee experience and the hardships so many face. I look forward to Mr. Tarey’s talk.”

***The Somali Community Association of Ohio has one of the strangest Form 990’s I’ve ever looked at.

Note on page 9 of its most recent form, here. Total revenue was $354,331 and $353,761 came from government grants. They received $570 from non-cash contributions so they are 99% funded by taxpayers.

Then go to page 10 where they have listed:

$4,104 for compensation to officers, but no other salaries and yet they spent $2,206 for payroll taxes.

$27,254 was spent for occupancy and $6,000 for accounting (for this tiny outfit?). But zero office expenses are listed. See some of the other misc. expenses as well.

Most of their money, a whopping $298,289 went for a summer food program which I see they do have in Ohio for poor kids to eat over the summer. I don’t have time to look for their government grant for this food program, but since they had no other income that year the food grant (was it halal food?) also covered a few of their other expenses…like the $27,254 occupancy expense…to the tune of over $55,000 for the year. Hmmmm! Audit needed here?

For more information, I typed “Somali Community Association of Ohio” into our search window and get all of these previous posts. Typing in “Somalis Ohio” we get a whole lot more, here.

Rome: Protesters take to the streets claiming refugees are bringing crime to their neighborhood

11/12/2014 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Sorry to focus so heavily today on ‘Invasion of Europe’ news, but that seems to be where the action is.

Matteo Salvini a political “rising star” in Italy. http://news.yahoo.com/salvini-seeks-fill-berlusconi-boots-italys-063140476.html

From the Independent: (Be sure to see the photo which I can’t import—these women don’t look so nasty to me! Their sign says: ‘enough uncivilised immigration’)

Racial tensions have exploded in Rome’s suburbs after locals chanting pro-Mussolini slogans attacked an immigrant holding centre. Police responded with baton charges and tear gas.

Locals are calling for the building in the Tor Sapienza district to be closed after blaming the migrants it houses for “insupportable” levels of street crime in the area.

But the nastier side of the protests were apparent on Tuesday night with hundreds of people chanting: “The blacks have to go,” and dozens more shouting: “Long live Il Duce (Mussolini)”.

The violence in Tor Sapienza began simmering on Monday night with hooded men throwing stones at the Sorriso reception centre in Viale Giorgio Morandi. On Tuesday night the situation escalated dramatically. At around 10pm around 50 people, at the head of a 250-strong crowd, attacked the centre with rocks and petrol bombs. At least 14 people, including four policemen, were injured in the clashes that saw cars and rubbish bins set alight and used as barricades. Some residents claimed the police over-reacted. “They charged us suddenly, for no reason, while were standing still on the pavement. We wanted protection from the forces of law and order, but instead they attacked us,” one local, Eliana, told Ansa news agency.

The 36 African and Bengali refugees inside pleaded with police to be led away to safety, according to Corriere Della Sera newspaper. A few hours earlier one of the refugees was attacked in the street.

The ugly developments are the latest sign of a wave of anti-immigration sentiment sweeping Italy, with populist political leaders appearing to profit from, even encourage it. Matteo Salvini, head of the xenophobic Northern League, has seen his ratings rise after appearing in a T-shirt bearing the phrase: “Stop Invasion”.

But, now hold on, go to the last paragraph and we learn that the refugees aren’t pure as the driven snow…..

The violence at Tor Sapienza is the latest in a series of racially-motivated confrontations in the capital in the past few months. In September there were several clashes between refugees and locals in the Corcolle district. Around 40 migrants attacked two buses with stones and threatened a female driver, after claiming they were not allowed on public transport. Locals responded by launching vigilante patrols.

I wonder what level the migrant population must reach before violence comes to the streets.

LOL! Remember that story we had from Italy in August—Refugees protest against boring Italian food! It is tough being a refugee in Italy these days.

Go here for our archive on the ‘Invasion of Europe.’ And, especially see this post on the rise of the European right. Can Europe still save itself?