But, he is up against a buzz saw—likely the most significant “Pocket of Resistance” anywhere in the country.
A what? A pocket of resistance?
That is a term one of Obama’s federal Office of Refugee Resettlement employees used at a 2013 refugee contractor pow-wow in Lancaster, PA to describe the citizens who were asking questions about the UN/US Refugee Admissions Program.
[T]he keynote speaker talked about how ‘Welcoming America’was working to get YOUR minds right about your new refugee neighbors (and, they received a federal grant from ORR to do it!).
Originally from Tennessee, David Lubell launched Welcoming America, a non-profit the feds hired to tamp down what they termed as ‘pockets of resistance.’ Lubell was later awarded Obama’s ‘Champion of Change’ award.
Before Susan Downs-Karkos from ‘Welcoming America’ spoke, we had been alerted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Director of Placement, Mitiku Ashebir that (gasp!) “three pockets of resistance against new arrivals” had developed. He assured the gathering it was not widespread and that Pennsylvania, thankfully, was not one of them. Drum roll please! Here are the pockets of resistance and Mr. Ashebir’s brief description of the unwelcoming problems:
New Hampshire—some mayors have problems, said Ashebir
Georgia—budget reductions for some service providers
Tennessee—they want to control arrival numbers! Imagine that!
As far as I know the resistance in Georgia and New Hampshire has been brought under control by Leftwing refugee industry activists, but they have not been able to quell the rebellion by Tennessee patriots who are hopping mad at the governor for going against the President and saying—send us more poor people from across the world. (Lee caves here.)
Consequently, see this mornings news about the uprising against the governor, a governor conservatives put their faith in and now feel he has betrayed them.
From the Dailyrollcall.com(every state should have a publication like this one to keep especially your Republicans accountable):
Bill Lee Tithes For the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program With Taxpayer Money
Why do millionaires like Bill Lee feel so free to use state tax dollars to live out their personal religious beliefs?
Remember when Bill Lee was campaigning and trying to dazzle gullible voters with his “brilliant” idea for an Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives?
Good ol’ country boy Bill Lee bows to Leftists that run the big urban centers of Tennessee.
Once elected he launched this initiative and it may end up being the vehicle for Bill Lee to funnel more state dollars to pad the pocketbooks of federal refugee contractors and other groups that want to get into the lucrative refugee resettlement business.
In fact, Bill Lee told us as much while he was on the campaign trail:
“My wife has worked in a ministry that serves Kurdish refugees, I’ve been to Kurdistan and served with refugees from ISIS in refugee camps,” Lee replied. “I believe that the work of nonprofits is powerful and important, and that’s what this is about. And I am a Christian, so my experiences and my work with non-profits that are doing effective work has been Christian organizations, so that’s what I talk about, because I talk about my experience, and I will support works that are doing, meeting some of the greatest challenges in our community that I believe government shouldn’t meet, it’s not the role of government to do that. But it is the role of the nonprofit community and I would encourage that kind of work, for sure.”
But he might just use the government to provide the greenbacks – we’ll get to that in a minute.
So why is anyone surprised that when offered, he jumped at the chance to say “YES!” I want to put Tennessee back into the refugee resettlement program!!!
And because of the 50-100 mile placement rules from the four urban centers where the federal resettlement contractor offices are located, when he consented for Tennessee, he pretty much put every county in the state up for grabs.
Judith Clerjeune an immigrant activist in TN is thrilled with the governor. But you can bet they still won’t vote for him next time around. https://www.tnimmigrant.org/judith
Conservatives in Tennessee who put Bill Lee in office get a lump of coal for Christmas while the radical left TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) congratulates it’s lobbying effort on the consent push:
“We thank Governor Lee for his moral clarity and leadership in making his decision today…‘Refugee communities across Tennessee have played a powerful role in defending not only the resettlement program but the values and aspirations of this country’, said TIRRC Policy Officer Judith Clerjeune. ‘We will continue to work with refugee leaders and partner agencies to advocate for a robust and generous resettlement program.”’
During Bill Lee’s campaign his first major policy initiative was his “Roadmap for Rural Tennessee” which he highlighted by riding around on a tractor and talking about “his farming roots” and about how Tennessee is just one generation away from losing this way of life.
Not sure what happened to all that rural love, because what we have now, is the rural governor scrooging Tennessee’s rural counties in deference to the urban-based federal contractor resettlement agencies.
As of this writing, Lee’s ‘welcome refugees’ letter is not on file at the US State Department. See if your governor is here.
The nine federal refugee contractors salaried workers are working day and night to get those consents into the State Department by Christmas. Therefore….
As a proud life-long resident of Springfield and in response to a City Council resolution – No, I will not be issuing a letter of consent to the White House, U.S. Department of State, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in support of continuing refugee resettlements in Springfield.
It’s time for other much more affluent communities to take on their fair share.
My position has been very clear on that this issue taxes our city and school services and calls into question the accountability and follow-through aspects of refugee agencies, who not too long ago, placed a number of refugees in condemned housing units. We have a number of residents in Springfield who need assistance and that will continue to be the concentration of my efforts. Springfield has proudly done more than its fair share on this issue.
As a recent Boston Federal Reserve report indicated about Springfield – “you cannot continue to concentrate poverty on top of poverty.”I ask, as those more affluent communities demand of Springfield, to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouth is — to take on their fair share of social justice responsibilities. The familiar tune I always hear from these much more affluent communities is that we do not have the capacities for refugees, the homeless, subsidized housing and methadone clinics.
Springfield is at capacity – the ball is now in their court.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays – God Bless.
Domenic J. Sarno, Mayor of Springfield
The mayors letter echos a common theme of many America Firsters! Take care of our own poor and vulnerable citizens first!
Also, readers should know that the rules that guide the President’s reform initiative say specifically that it is county governments that must opt-in or opt-out of the resettlement program.
For each state and locality where the applicant proposes to resettle refugees during the award period, the applicant should seek written consent for resettlement of refugees from the state governor’s office and the chief executive officer of the local government (county or county equivalent).
Springfield is in Hampden County and when I visit the State Department’s list of siteswhere elected officials have said, sure send us more poverty, I’m not seeing Hampden County listed. For Massachusetts at this time, I’m seeing five city governments are going to create an additional tax burden on their citizens, but no counties have weighed-in.
I have no idea what the feds are going to do about this apparently great misconception!
It is not too late! You should still be trying to get your governors and county commissioners to say NO, not this time!
Because of the national attentionBurleigh County’s Monday meeting was generating, the governor obviously went to the Administration to get clarification on how the process works and I want to comment on a few items he posted from the governor’s office.
But, he hadn’t gottenthe clarificationwhen he sent his letter supporting the program way back on November 19th in which he says they are happily integrating their refugees into their workforce.
White House clarifies proposed figures for refugee resettlement as local jurisdictions weigh consent
Here are a few points I want to highlight this morning from what the governor reports.
First, he got clarification that under the new Trump resettlement program this same process will be used every year, and each year the local community and the governor must consent.
The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs confirmed that local jurisdictions will need to consent every year for refugee resettlement to continue.
He learned that in addition to the 18,000 cap on the regular refugee program for fiscal year 2020 (which began on October 1, 2019) there will be 10,000 additional special refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq (virtually all Muslims we surmise) who supposedly helped our military in some way or other.
They are treated as refugees with all the social service benefits refugees receive, but with one important exception—they can go anywhere in America they wish. Regular refugees are placed by contractors*** in the locations they choose.
The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs also stated that up to 10,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders – individuals who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in either Iraq or Afghanistan – are eligible for reception and placement services through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Unlike refugees, SIV holders can choose where to settle in the United States. LSS is allowed to provide services to SIV holders and has served up to 21 annually since 2016, though none were served in 2019, according to the agency, which includes SIV holders in its reported total for refugee resettlements.
Then he did confirm why Republicans like himself support the flow of low-skilled refugees to America—because their state business interests want the low wage workers. And, because they don’t want any global corporations that might be eyeing ND to think the state is filled with bigoted hateful people. (He doesn’t say that, but that is what he means.)
“We support the administration giving states and local jurisdictions the consent authority on whether to continue receiving refugees, and we respect the right to exercise local control,” Burgum said. “That being said, we have serious concerns that denying resettlement to a handful of well-vetted and often family-connected refugees would send a negative signal beyond our borders at a time when North Dakota is facing a severe workforce shortage and trying to attract capital and talent to our state.”
Never mind that those low-skilled refugees earning low wages will need taxpayer-funded services and will eventually vote the Republicans out of office.
North Dakota is done for now, but you will have another shot at it later this year as the feds prepare for fiscal year 2021 that begins on October first of 2020! Assuming he runs again, Burgum will be up for re-election at that same time.
For many years, it has seen a lot of controversy over refugee resettlement. I just was reminded when I scanned my posts on the state that the Somali knife attacker in St. Cloud in 2016 was a refugee originally resettled in Fargo, ND
***For new readers these (below) are the nine refugee contractors that monopolize all refugee placement in America. For decades they have decided in secrecy where to place refugees and they don’t want to lose that power because even as they pontificate about their religious convictions and humanitarian zeal, they are Leftwing political groups working to change America by changing the people and using your money to do it!
It is Secretary of State Pompeo who is collecting letters from governors and local elected officials about whether they are opting-in or opting-out of the US Refugee Admission Program.
(Yesterday I posted a sample letter that you might use as a template when you write to your governor or county commission.)
Since the governors who have already said YES (how many we don’t know) to ‘welcoming’ more poverty for local and state taxpayers to support are likely round-filing (trashing!) your letters, why not send a copy directly to the Secretary of State.
If your governor has, or hasn’t, opted-in or out, then still send a letter to the US State Department.
Frankly, this whole exercise is a barometer for the President. We assume he will be reelected, and so during the next five years we expect him to make serious changes to how we resettle refugees (if we resettle refugees). He needs to know that you care.
Send your letters to:
Secretary Michael R. Pompeo
U.S. Department of State
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Carol T. O’Connell
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State
In a packed meeting room, County Commissioners in Bismarck, voted 3-2 to ‘welcome’ more impoverished refugees to the county in the coming year—25 total they say.
As the country watched (even the NY Times was watching) the county leaders took a wishy-washy middle of the road position because as far as I know there is no rule or regulation that lets them set a cap.
Once you agree to take in third worlders from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, a county can’t dictate numbers or select refugees by ethnicity or religion.
Although their decision was not exactly overwhelming, the fact that this county commission actually held a hearing to take the pulse of the community is very significant. All across the country governors and local elected officials are deciding behind closed doors. Demand public hearings!
Burleigh County Commission vote to allow refugee resettlement in 3-2 decision
BREAKING: Burleigh County commissioners vote to allow refugee resettlement with a cap of 25 for next year after a four hour hearing.
Both sides of the issue voiced opinions and addressed the commissioners.
Commissioners include Brian Bitner, Jerry Woodcox, Mark Armstrong, Kathleen Jones and Jim Peluso.
Peluso and Bitner voted no.
The option surfaced after President Donald Trump issued an executive order allowing local governments to make their own decisions.
Cass County recently voted to accept refugees.
For a more complete and incredibly biased report see the New York Timesstory from overnight. As always there is absolutely no mention that the do-gooder Lutherans who resettle refugees in ND are paid, as federal contractors, to place the refugees throughout North Dakota.
The NYT reports that Burleigh County Commissioner Bitner did not even know that refugees were being placed in the county demonstrating that this program operates in SECRECY whenever the contractors can get away with it.
The NYTdoes point out some pitfalls we see with the President’s approach when he opened this can of worms. (Don’t get me wrong, chaos/confusion is a good thing politically !)
There is one very bright side all of you need to note: the process is forcing state and local elected officials who have been happy to hide behind the mantra—this decision of where refugees are placed is a federal decision—to go on the record for all voters to see who is friend or foe on the issue of our time.
I see the vote for more refugees as a proxy vote for more immigration across the board.
LOL! One thing jumped out at me and that was that although the reporter calls the President, President Trump, once at the beginning of the story. In four additional references he is relegated to “Mr. Trump.”
Mr. Obama is referred to as “President Barack Obama” (not former President…).
See the right hand side bar for the governors who have caved already and told the President that they want more impoverished refugees placed in their (your!) state.
The NYT says 16 governors have sent letters, if that is true they are keeping their mouths shut in the media.
