I told you here a week agothat Refugee Industry political organizers have begun a campaign to get letters from governors in support of more refugees into the White House.
So far, that I know of, the governors ofPennsylvaniaand Oregon have sent letters at the request of refugee contractors and open borders activists in their state. Now comes Utah’s Republican governor—Gary Herbert.
Gov. Gary Herbert wants more refugees to resettle in Utah
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking that more refugees be sent to Utah to resettle, saying there is plenty of room and resources for those in need.
Birds of a feather! Mitt Romney endorsed Herbert for governor in 2009.
The Oct. 24 letter comes after the Trump administration cut the number of refugees the United States would accept over the next year to 18,000, and as the number of displaced people across the world has reached more than 70 million, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking that more refugees be sent to Utah to resettle, saying there is plenty of room and resources for those in need.
I guess we can add Utah to the list of states that have run out of vulnerable Americans to care for!
The Oct. 24 letter comes after the Trump administration cut the number of refugees the United States would accept over the next year to 18,000, and as the number of displaced people across the world has reached more than 70 million, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
[….]
The same day the Trump administration announced those reduced refugee program numbers, it also issued an executive order giving states the power to accept refugees — or not.
Former refugee from Somalia, Aden Batar, runs the refugee resettlement program for Catholic Charities in Utah.
[….]
Aden Batar, director of Migration and Refugee Services for Catholic Community Services in Utah, said he’s seen firsthand that fewer refugees are coming into the state and applauds Herbert for his effort to get more to settle here.
He said Utah has enough jobs, housing and other resources to accommodate a larger influx of refugees.
[….]
This isn’t the first time Herbert has spoken out on behalf of refugees.
In 2015, he broke ranks with many of his Republican counterparts in other states by not trying to block Syrian refugees from resettling in Utah after deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.
You can see a copy of the letter itself at the Salt Lake Tribune. One question I would put to governors who write a mealy-mouth letter is this:
Put a number on it! How many refugees does Utah want?
If you are wondering, the Mormon church is not a resettlement agency yet, but they do give handsomely to some of the nine supposed ‘religious charities’ that monopolize all refugee resettlement in America.
I’m going to post a sidebar here at RRW with a list of governors who have told the President they want MORE refugees. If you see a news story in your state about your governor opposing the President on refugee admissions, please send it my way.
Here is what I don’t get: Why does their love of “the other” always have to be demonstrated via a political event— a staged event to show how good they are and how bad you are?
Social justice warriors: The Catholic Church and an ‘Interfaith’ group hold a political event in Lexington tomorrow.
Can’t these Catholics simply (quietly!) help refugees and immigrants without making a show of it?
Here is news from Lexington, KY about such an event tomorrow entitled: “Share the Journey with Migrant, Refugee, and Marginalized Sisters and Brothers” pilgrimage.
Implicit in the advertising is the political message: in the Trump era immigrants are suffering.
Maybe the good Catholics could help them privately and quietly with food and private loving care! (We assume that they have run out of poor and homeless Americans to care for in Lexington!)
Does it really help immigrants personally to showcase them, or is this all about the midterm elections?
Show solidarity with migrants, refugees at Saturday pilgrimage, service
This is a time of great and increasing uncertainty for immigrants living among us, whatever their citizenship or country of origin. In fact, it is an extremely difficult time for the marginalized and members of minorities living among us, whether they were born in this country or not.
While immigrants from some countries have been welcomed over the years, too often refugee and immigrants from other countries have faced indifference or hostility. This has happened while we have often relied on them to do difficulty and sometimes dangerous jobs for long hours and for very low wages. [How about if the good Catholics find them work other than in low wage meat and poultry plants!—ed]
Recent changes in immigration and enforcement policies have left many of these people with very little sense of security or, sometimes, hope. Those of us in more fortunate circumstances must, in conscience, step up and offer them both expressions of solidarity and practical help. [How about some serious practical help without the showboating!—ed]
One important chance to express solidarity is the “Share the Journey with Migrant, Refugee, and Marginalized Sisters and Brothers” pilgrimage taking place Saturday, Oct. 20, starting at 10 a.m. at the Courthouse Plaza and ending at Historic St Paul Catholic Church, where there will be a brief service, beginning with song and dance by our Congolese sisters and brothers. [They love to bring out the refugees as props for their political message!—ed]
The intention of the event is “to promote a just and inclusive community, especially in this climate of enhanced danger for immigrants, refugees, and the marginalized. We stand together, walk together, and pray together as a public witness to the dignity of the human person and the obligation we have as companions on the journey to accompany one another and build the culture of encounter.” [They have that social justice lingo down pat, don’t they!—ed]
This event is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington with Lexington UNITED Interfaith Encounters, Catholic Charities, The Catholic Action Center and others.
What do the Kentucky refugee admission numbers look like?
When I wrote this post yesterday, I learned that Kentucky ranks #14 in the list of states with the most resettled refugees.
In fact, according to Wrapsnet, since October of 2008, Kentucky ‘welcomed’ 16,901 refugees!
Here is a list of the top twelve countries whose refugees, Catholics and other ‘religious’ resettlement agencies, have added to Kentucky’s diversity (mostly chosen by the UN).
See first Syrians arrive in KY in 2015 with the help of an Islamic charity. https://refugeeresettlementwatch.org/2015/02/15/first-syrian-refugees-arriving-in-louisville-ky-helped-with-grant-from-islamic-charity/
Burma (3,964)
DR Congo (3,040)
Bhutan (2,592)
Iraq (2,435)
Somalia (2,171)
Cuba (827)
Syria (495)
Sudan (231)
Burundi (210)
Eritrea (127)
Afghanistan (120)
Pakistan (107)
Go herefor my Kentucky archives. Don’t miss the story about the Iraqi refugees arrested a few years ago in Bowling Green, now doing life in prison on terrorism charges.
I had told myself that I was going to be more diligent in checking data this year as refugees were being placed by the Trump Administration.
Eritreans make up one of the largest groups attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
The first arrivals were reported here four days ago.
So, when I checked just now I was surprised to see that Maryland, which usually comes in in the middle of the pack, had moved to the number one state for resettlement so far.
Granted we are only talking about 30 refugees out of a total of 274 that have arrived in the US since October 1, but I think it is worth mentioning.
The Trump Administration is prioritizing Africa for resettlement to the US this year. https://refugeeresettlementwatch.org/2018/09/25/trump-administration-to-prioritize-africans-in-fy19-refugee-admissions-to-us/
Using the interactive data reports at Wrapsnet, here is what I learned.
Forty Eritreans entered the US in the last two weeks and 25 of them were placed in Maryland.
Additionally Maryland received 5 from the DR Congo.
Baltimore was the resettlement city for all of the Congolese and all but three of the Eritreans.
Of course if you know anything about Maryland you are likely wondering what the heck are they going to do for jobs in Baltimore (no meatpacking plants that I know of!).
We don’t know what religious affiliation the Eritreans who came to Maryland claim, but know that 17 out of the total 40 Eritreans who came to the US in the last 2 weeks are Muslims.
The usual reason given for why Eritreans are leaving their country is because the dictatorship there has mandatory military conscription. Because of that, you get new neighbors!
(It has been awhile, but see a post I wroteabout the diversity being added to a troubled Baltimore.)
I was very interested to see the list of top cities in the US that ‘welcome’ refugees when I publishedThe Tent Foundation/Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Refugee Hiring Guidethe other day.
Where is Twin Falls?
Today I had a chance to look at the list more carefully and I’ll be darned, I don’t see Twin Falls, Idaho. (If you all check for me and see if somehow I overlooked it, see page 17, 18, and 19 at the guide, here.)
You would think that since The Tent Foundationis Chobani Yogurt CEO Hamdi Ulukaya’s foundation that Twin Falls would be on the list.
Is it possible, I wondered, that Twin Falls welcomed less than 100 refugees in the ten years being analyzed by the Lutheran contractor for the hiring guide?
Important note to readers: I hear from some of you referring to refugees as illegals. They are not. The immigrants we discuss mostly on these pages come to the US through the Refugee Admissions Program signed in to law in 1980. The numbers I’ll be giving you below are primary refugees placed directly in Twin Falls. The data comes from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center. The numbers below do not include: asylum seekers, asylees, Special Immigrant Visa holders, Diversity Lottery winners, etc. They also do not include secondary refugee migrants. Those are legal refugees placed in another location who have moved, (possibly in this case to Twin Falls) for work or to be with others of their ethnic group. Again, secondary migrants are not included below.
These are all the primary refugees placed in Twin Falls by the US State Department and its local resettlement contractor during the ten year period, 2007-2016 presented in Tent’s Hiring Guide. Data is fromWrapsnet(Refugee Processing Center).
A total of 2,723 were placed in Twin Falls, population 48,260, from 2007 to 2016. (Boise by comparison received 6,918 in the same time period placing it at #29 on the Tent list of top resettlement locations.)
The Twin Falls number of 2,723 should have placed it on Tent’s list (where to find refugees) between Richmond, VA and Lincoln, NE
Twin Falls should be here. I am wondering now how accurate the other numbers are!
When I analyzed the data at Wrapsnet, I learned that Twin Falls ‘welcomed’ refugees from 17 different nationalities during that time period with the largest numbers coming from the following countries:
Bhutan (650)
Burma (620)
Iraq (382)
Eritrea (242)
Iran (229)
DR Congo (217)
Sudan (179)
Afghanistan (85)
Smaller numbers came from 9 other countries surely making it challenging for the school system, the health system and the criminal justice system there to deal with the language barriers and requirements for translation services (just one more cost being passed on to local and state taxpayers!).
I’ll be red-faced, but please let me know if you find Twin Falls on the Tent list of top cities in which employers can find refugee workers.
In November of last year, information came to us from a confidential source about Chobani Yogurt CEO Hamdi Ulukaya’s personal foundation, The Tent Foundation, contracting with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service(one of nine federally funded resettlement agencies) to produce a guide for businesses to help them find refugee labor.
Here is just a bit of the background I gave about LIRS contract with Tent in a postalmost a year ago:
For new readers, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service(LIRS) is one of nine federal contractors*** hired and funded (on a per refugee-head basis) by the US State Department and the Office of Refugee Resettlement in HHS to place refugees in towns where citizens have no say in the matter and are generally kept in the dark about the process and plans for their communities.
Linda Hartke’s sudden departure from LIRS has never been explained.
We have also recently reported on two other LIRS side ‘deals’ with global corporations— the meatpackers JBS Swift and Tyson Foods.
Now we hear that Ulukaya’s personal foundation, The Tent Foundation, has hired LIRS to write “a 15-page resource toolkit for employers laying out why they should hire refugees.”
According to a signed contract seen by RRW, the finished product was to be delivered to The Tent Foundation by the end of October.
Go to that postand see what an excited Linda Hartke said about their new funding source.
LIRS hiring guide for the Tent Foundation is here: https://www.tent.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Tent_Guidebook_FINAL.pdf
In light of all the internal turmoil going on at LIRS over the last year, I had wondered if TheTent Foundation ever got its guide.
But, sure enough, here it is!
It is a useful guide for not only businesses looking for refugee labor, but serious students of the US Refugee Admissions Program will find it full of information that could come in handy.
Although, Tent works in Europe, the guide is entirely devoted to finding and hiring refugee workers in the US.
I especially found useful the ‘Where to find refugees’table that begins on page 17.
Below is just a small portion of the table that goes on for two additional full pages.
See which cities are the top ‘welcoming’ cities in America from 2007 to 2016 (mostly Obama years):
There are a total of 136 locations on the list. Apparently towns and cities receiving less than 100 are not included. https://www.tent.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Tent_Guidebook_FINAL.pdf
In addition to less tangible benefits like feel-good bragging rights (corporate virtue signalling!) there are some economic reasons (besides wage issues) to bank an economic gain from hiring refugees.
Here is one! A tax break!
Remember I mentioned that there was a tax break for businesses being touted as a way to encourage companies to hire people on welfare (here yesterday). I see that on page 14, here at the Tent/LIRS hiring guide, the break is further explained.
Readers may not know that although most legal immigrants to America are not permitted to tap into welfare for several years, refugees are exempt from that prohibition and are able to almost immediately, with the help and guidance of their federally-assigned resettlement contractor (ie LIRS), sign up for myriad social service programs.
***Below are the nine federal refugee resettlement contractors.
Faithful readers are probably sick of seeing this list almost every day, but a friend once told me that people need to see something seven times before it completely sinks in, so it seems to me that 70, or even 700 isn’t too much!
And, besides I have new readers every day.
The present US Refugee Admissions Program will never be reformed if the system of paying the contractors by the head stays in place and the contractors are permitted to act as Leftwing political agitation groups, community organizers and lobbyists largely paid on our dime!
And, to add insult to injury they pretend it is all about ‘humanitarianism.’
The number in parenthesis is the percentage of their income paid by you (the taxpayer) to place the refugees into your towns and cities and get them signed up for their services (aka welfare)! And, get them registered to vote eventually!
In most cases (LIRS for instance!), the percentage of their income paid by taxpayers is so high one could hardly call them private groups any longer. They are virtually quasi-government agencies.
