Connecticut elected officials welcome Syrian (Muslim) refugees

09/28/2015 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

I was on the Lori on Liberty show from Connecticut yesterday, but hadn’t seen the news that Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) is out stumping for more Syrians (mostly Muslims) to be resettled in Connecticut. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat from the 5th District, is on board too. The governor, according to the Washington Times is warming to the idea.

chris-murphy-ap — Murphy to Obama: 10,000 Syrians for next year is not enough! BTW, next year begins on Thursday.

Get ready Connecticut (where Yale has accepted a Saudi billionaire’s gift to build an ISLAMIC LAW CENTER there).
From the Washington Times:

With heart-rending images of desperate migrants flooding into Europe, some have called on the U.S. to do more. President Obama recently issued an order allowing up to 10,000 refugees from Syria into the United States during the next fiscal year, but even that is not enough, said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.

[….]

In addition to the humanitarian obligations, he said there are practical reasons for helping the refugees. “We’re losing credibility (in the Middle East) if we sit on the sidelines,” said Murphy, a Democratic freshman who recently visited refugee camps in Jordan.

We knew 2016 Presidential candidate Marco Rubio was using weasel-words on the Syrians, but here the Washington Times reports that he is on board to increase refugee numbers to America.

Several Republican presidential candidates, including Sens. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida, are also pressing for an increase in the number of refugees allowed into the U.S., as long as they are thoroughly vetted to determine that they are not part of a terrorist group.

Elizabeth Esty — We welcome Syrians to western Connecticut! Photo from ALIPAC when Esty voted for amnesty for illegal aliens here: http://www.alipac.us/f34/elizabeth-esty-d-ct-5-us-congress-voted-amnesty-illegal-aliens-311997/

The FBI testified in February that the Syrian refugees could NOT BE THOROUGHLY VETTED—where have those Senator been?
The Washington Times continues….

Murphy agreed, saying the U.S. should “spare no expense” in investigating the refugees to ensure they have no terrorist connections. But, he added, “just because a place like Syria is violent, that doesn’t mean everyone who lives there is violent. We have a very sophisticated process for vetting refugees.” [No we don’t—ed]

[….]

Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat from the 5th District, last week signed onto a letter to President Obama urging additional aid for the refugees. She said she would welcome refugees that have been thoroughly vetted resettle in her district and her community. [Danbury, Litchfield, Waterbury etc.—ed]

Continue reading here.
Waterbury reminds me of ‘Whoop-de-do’ in Waterbury several years ago when the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants‘ subcontractor was exposed in a local paper for neglecting mostly Burmese refugees in their care. The US State Dept. at least temporarily shuttered the program there. It may be up and running now for all I know.
I just noticed in that 2008 ‘Whoop-de-do’ post that refugees were receiving $850 per head upon arrival and the contractor was keeping half. Here we are 7 years later and the amount per refugee now stands at $1975 per refugee!
For more information, go here to see if your city has already gotten Syrian refugees. If so, you have been targeted for more.
Go here and see that Hartford’s mayor is one of 18 to write to Obama telling him to admit not 10,000 Syrians this year, but 100,000!

Dayton, OH mayor: Bring us some Syrian (Muslim) refugees! Congressman says NO way!

09/27/2015 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Dayton, Ohio mayor is one of the 18 we told you about here yesterday who wrote to Obama asking for a supply of Syrians for their cities. They think more refugees are going to be an economic boon to failing Democrat-run cities. The only boost in the economy I can see is from the federal welfare dollars that would flow from Washington (but Washington doesn’t grow money on trees, it all comes from us). Heck, they can even get more HUD housing to be built by crony developers!

Turns out that the Democrat mayor is getting a tongue-lashing from the Republican Congressman, Rep. Mike Turner, whose district includes Dayton. (Some reports I read just now on Mayor Nan Whaley say she is planning a run for Congress.) She may be looking for new reliably Democrat voters since the majority of Muslim refugees are voting for Democrats (see here).
Most of the Syrians (97% of those arriving in 2015) are UN-chosen Sunni Muslims.
Here is the news from the Dayton Daily News:

The Obama administration should accept more people fleeing war-torn Syria, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said Friday, adding the city is willing to be a landing spot to help resettle refugees.

Whaley and 17 other U.S. mayors sent a letter Thursday asking the president to increase the number of asylum-seekers America will take in.

She said Dayton is prepared to help the administration address the humanitarian crisis by welcoming refugees if they are placed here.

Rep. Mike Turner: “I am adamantly opposed to Mayor Whaley’s call for the placement of these refugees in Dayton.”

“It’s a welcoming, open community, and that’s one of our core values,” she said. “Should they be placed here, we are happy to make sure they are successful.”

Congressman: You, as a mayor, have no authority!

Interesting! When a mayor of a refugee-overloaded city speaks up and tells the feds, ‘we can’t handle any more’ he or she is told to shut up and sit down, you have no authority (this is a federal program). I’m thinking of the mayors of Amarillo, TX, Springfield and Lynn, Mass, and Manchester, NH who have begged for relief in recent years.
But, of course, when a mayor wants refugees to be brought in, then you can bet the Obama Administration (its US State Department) will be happy to defer to the wishes of the mayor.

However, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said Whaley does not have the authority to extend that invitation and warned refugees require significant resources and pose a national security risk.

“Mayor Whaley’s actions are outrageous and, for the second time, she has decided to speak on behalf of the Dayton area without authority and without considering the repercussions,” he said, referring to her willingness last year to accept unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the nation’s southern border.

Here is what I want to know from the mayor: Have you run out of poor white and minority American citizens who need help in Dayton?

As we learned from our data base research here, Dayton has not yet received Syrian refugees, but other Ohio cities (Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Westerville) have.
I’d like to know where Ohio Governor (2016 Presidential candidate) Kasich stands on this—with the mayor or with the Congressman?
By the way, as we focus on the Syrian Muslims, the US is admitting thousands of UN-chosen mostly Sunni Muslims from Somalia, Iraq, and yesterday we learned that thousands of Rohingya (Burmese Muslims) have either been resettled or are on the way.
The Hijra is well advanced.

NY Times goes to Spartanburg, spin in first paragraph shows reporter's bias

09/26/2015 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

What else can you expect from the New York Times? Just one more reminder of how the Left dominates the big papers in America.

Richard Faussett — NY Times reporter RICHARD FAUSSET Photo: https://twitter.com/richardfausset

But, it is o.k. even biased reports like this one help to get the words ‘refugee resettlement’ out to a public that did not know that this has been going on for 35 years. Every mention in the media helps the public understand how they have been kept in the dark!
Here is reporter Fausset’s opening spin in which he mentions the John Birch Society (so readers will know right away what they are to think of the meeting of concerned South Carolinians and this story):

DUNCAN, S.C. — The worried citizens gathered in the high school cafeteria, about 200 strong. Patriotic songs played on the stereo, a man in a blue blazer from the John Birch Society hovered by a well-stocked literature table, and Lauren L. Martel, a lawyer from Hilton Head, told the crowd that 25 Syrian refugees were already living among them.

There is lots more, you can read it yourself.
I did get a chuckle out of Melanie Nezer (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) saying they were spreading refugees to small towns to avoid the high cost of living in immigrant gateway cities. Apparently reporter Fausset doesn’t have a clue that the strategy of seeding small town America with diversity has come to full flower with Obama’s Task Force on New Americans that Nezer and other resettlement contractors have happily helped develop with the backing of wealthy foundations and federal funding.

But even before the Syrian crisis dominated headlines worldwide, resettlement agencies had noted a rise in anti-refugee sentiment in parts of the United States, said Melanie Nezer, vice president of policy and advocacy at HIAS, a Jewish nonprofit that works with refugees. In the last two decades, they have increasingly placed people in smaller communities to try to avoid the high cost of living in traditional immigrant magnets like New York and Los Angeles. At the same time, unemployment and tight budgets have prompted some local governments to fight the placement of refugees.

“[HIAS] works with refugees.” Come on Fausset, at least tell your readers that HIAS is paid by the head by the US State Department to resettle refugees in small town America!
We will be looking for a report from the New York Times reporter who traveled to Twin Falls, Idaho earlier this week, let’s see if he can do a better job! I noticed when watching the video of the Twin Falls meeting that the Spartanburg pushback was mentioned from the podium! (BTW, everyone should watch the video. It is several hours long and I’m still going through it, but for those working in your communities, it is very useful).
So, for all of you in ‘Pockets of Resistance‘ do not get discouraged! You are not going to get a fair shake in the dying print media! Just remember every bit of news that gets out there about this program is a good thing so that more people are made aware of it.
The Obama plan to resettle mostly Muslim Syrians to smaller towns and cities like Spartanburg, SC may in fact be a blessing as more people are waking up to the Left’s plan to change America by changing the people!
And, take heart in knowing that the NYT has thrown two (at least two) reporters at the story in one week!

18 US Mayors tell Obama: We want MORE Syrian (Muslim) refugees!

09/26/2015 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

This story is from Syracuse, NY, but it is all about a letter 18 mayors sent to Obama telling him that they want MORE Syrian refugees now!
Remember Syracuse is the city that saw a beautiful Catholic Church become a mosque. I’m guessing the mayor wants to see more of that because the majority of the Syrians to be admitted to the US through the UN are Sunni Muslims. Kind of ironic that they penned this letter when the Pope was here. Does he want more Muslims to take over more Catholic Churches worldwide?
Clearly Catholic Charities and Mayor Miner of Syracuse do!
From Syracuse.com:

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Mayor Stephanie Miner is one of 18 mayors encouraging President Barack Obama to accept additional Syrian refugees into the United States.

miner and Obama — Mayor Stephanie Miner: “[I]…urge you to increase still further the number of Syrian refugees the United States will accept for resettlement.” Photo: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/syracuse_mayor_stephanie_miner_30.html

Miner signed a letter, sent to Obama, that calls for an increase of the number of refugees the U.S. will accept in the next two years. Obama has already pledged to take 10,000 Syrian refugees and increase the overall refugee allowance to 100,000 by 2017.

“Our cities have been transformed by the skills and the spirit of those who come to us from around the world,” the letter reads. “The drive and enterprise of immigrants and refugees have helped build our economies, enliven our arts and culture, and enrich our neighborhoods.”

All 18 mayors are members of Cities United for Immigration Action, a coalition pushing for immigration reform. Along with Miner, mayors from Los Angeles, New York City, Pittsburgh, Boston and Chicago signed the letter. [I bet if you dug into this group, you would find it another George Soros-funded group.—ed]

Syracuse currently accepts between 1,100 and 1,200 refugees each year. Two organizations — Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and Interfaith Works CNY — resettle refugees in Syracuse.

“We have taken in refugees, and will help make room for thousands more,” the letter reads.”

See the letter at Syracuse.com. And here are the 18 cities which need new mayors!

Ed Pawlowski, Mayor of Allentown, PA
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of Baltimore, MD
Martin J. Walsh, Mayor of Boston, MA
James Diossa, Mayor of Central Falls, RI
Mark Kleinschmidt, Mayor of Chapel Hill, NC
Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, IL
Edward Terry, Mayor of Clarkston, GA
Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton, OH
Domenick Stampone, Mayor of Haledon, NJ
Pedro E. Segarra, Mayor of Hartford, CT
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, CA
Betsy Hodges, Mayor of Minneapolis, MN
Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City, NY
Jose Torres, Mayor of Paterson, NJ
William Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, PA
Javier Gonzales, Mayor of Santa Fe, NM
Francis G. Slay, Mayor of St. Louis, MO
Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor of Syracuse, NY

Be sure to check out the hundreds of comments this story generated. I skimmed some and it sure looks like Mayor Miner’s constituents aren’t too thrilled by her invitation.
If you live in any of those 18 cities be sure the citizens there know what their mayor is doing.
Addendum: I just remembered, you can go to this post from a few days ago to see if your city is already getting Syrian Muslims. Note to Catholic Charities, of the 1,700 plus Syrians who were admitted to the US so far, 43 were Christians and there was 1 (one!) Catholic in the bunch.

Drilling down on federal contractors that launder your money to local agencies—Twin Falls again

09/25/2015 ~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The spotlight in the Twin Falls, Idaho controversy shifts from the big business interests we mentioned in our previous post, to the major federal contractor that is really calling the shots — not the local College of Southern Idaho Refugee Program.
The federal resettlement contractor, located in Arlington, Virginia is known in the refugee industry as USCRI (US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants) which passes your tax dollars through to their local affiliate—CSI.

Lavinia Limon again — Learn more about Lavinia here: http://thehispanicblog.com/2012/04/14/who-is-lavinia-limon-meet-the-ceo-of-the-u-s-committee-for-refugees-immigrants/

We continue to be perplexed why there is no federal Form 990 available for CSI’s refugee program and would like to see the College’s financials to see exactly how much is coming in through their books for the refugee program.
However, we get some idea by having a look at the most recently available Form 990 for USCRI.
First, the best page of recent Form 990s is page 9. I say recent because when I first looked at Form 990s years ago these numbers were more prominently presented on page 1.

In 2013, USCRI had an income stream as follows (in red are your tax dollars). Numbers are rounded to save me work!

Government Grants: $35.4 million

Other contributions: $247,000

IOM Collection Fees: $1.7 million (Refugees are loaned tax dollars via the International Organization for Migration, another contractor, for their airfare and must return the loan, however the resettlement contractors get to keep a portion of any money they can wring out of the poor refugees. This is USCRI’s share for that year. It really should have been all returned to the US Treasury.)

Interpreters: $1.2 million (This is probably mostly local tax dollars as the contractors are now in the business of providing their workers and refugees for interpretive services needed in the health care system and criminal justice system to name just two).

Childcare Service: $350,000 (will give them the benefit of the doubt that this is private income???)

Misc. small stuff

Total income: $39.2 million or about 98% funded by tax dollars!

BTW, CEO Lavinia Limon earned a cool $289,192 according to this Form 990 and another Limon (relative?) earned $139,869. These salaries are in the mid-range for CEOs and employees in the humanitarian business. One of them, in another non-profit, makes close to $500,000 a year.

Limon had served as Bill Clinton’s Director of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement having revolved in and out of government as did her right hand man Eskinder Negash (you saw him here the other day leading the charge for 100,000 Syrians to be admitted to the US this coming year).
Anyway, back to Twin Falls. On Page 10 of the Form 990 you will see that Limon passed $22.3 million of their income (from you) to subcontractors working for them around the country. I was going to list the Top Ten recipients of the money that one could say USCRI launders to subordinates (Does anyone in the federal government follow the money to be sure it is used properly? Are there federal audits?), but I am too lazy. Check the dollar figures yourself in Schedule I.
On their list of grantees is the College of Southern Idaho which received $807,380 (passed to them by USCRI). If they had other income (gifts, fundraiser income, etc.) we have no idea because there is no Form 990 for CSI Refugee Program.
I did check to see if some of the other USCRI beneficiaries have filed separate Form 990s and the answer is yes!
So where is CSI’s? This arrangement with the College of Southern Idaho is a strange one!
We have many posts on Ms. Limon, click here for our archive.
Note to the New York Times reporter who was in Twin Falls on Tuesday evening. I hope you are doing your homework! The finances! The secrecy! The revolving door! The big business interests! The lobbying push by USCRI and others for 100,000 Syrian ‘clients’ for them! All of it!