Category: The Opposition

German government dragging its feet on admitting migrants they promised to take

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Invasion of Europe news…

And, German hypocrisy alert!

Well what do you know, Germany made a big show a few months back when it said it would take migrants from ships docked in Italy and Malta.  Those countries were not letting the wannabe Europeans disembark until other countries promised to take them.

Now we learn that 115 are still in Italy and Malta as Germany must thoroughly screen them!

 

Sea Watch
In a Mediterranean ship version of whack-a-mole, the German ‘Sea-Watch’ migrant transport ship will be back in business soon!

 

From Deutsche Welle:

Rescued migrants in limbo while waiting for resettlement in Germany

 

One hundred and fifteen migrants who were rescued in the Mediterranean Sea have been waiting for months in Italy and Malta for Germany to take them in as promised, the German government has said.

The migrants needed to undergo a medical examination, be registered and attend interviews before they could be transferred to Germany, according to a statement made in response to an enquiry by German parliamentarians of the Left party. They also required checking by German intelligence services before the German federal refugee agency BAMF could arrange a transfer, the statement added.

Salvini grim
What will Italy’s Salvini say? We will be watching!

It said some of the migrants were saved by two military ships on July 13 and taken to Sicily, and others rescued by the NGO ship Aquarius on August 10 and brought to Malta.

Italy and Malta allowed them to disembark only after other EU member states had promised to take them in.

Ulla Jelpke, a spokeswoman for the Left’s parliamentary party, commended Berlin for having pledged to take in the migrants, but called for quick action to fulfill the promise.

“There is no plausible reason for their entry to be put off because of bureaucratic measures,” she said.

Several other EU states have already received the migrants they pledged to take.

Meanwhile, they are baaaacck!

At least one NGO migrant transport ship will soon be back in business on the hunt for African migrants launching from the coast of North Africa.

In another related development, the German NGO Sea-Watch said on Saturday that its vessel Sea-Watch 3 would return to migrant rescue operations after Malta allowed it to sail to Spain for maintenance work, having impounded it for three months.

Sea-Watch accused Malta of having acted “without any legal basis” and said more than 500 people had drowned at sea while the ship was being “illegally detained.”

More here.

For posts extending as far back as ten years, see my ‘Invasion of Europe’ file, click here.

All eyes on Texas today, the number one refugee resettlement state in the nation

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

As the President heads to Texas and the Central American migrant caravan marches on toward our southern border, I can’t help but say ‘told you so.’

Between illegal immigration and legal refugees, the hard Left Open Borders activists and agitators are turning a red state blue.

 

refugees_Texas (1)
Big enough for everyone?

 

They might not succeed this year (then again they could!), but it is happening, and proud patriotic Texans better get in gear to stop it!

A little over two years ago I reported that Republican Governor Greg Abbott withdrew the state from the US Refugee Admissions Program, but little good it did as I reported last week that Texas is now solidly, and by a large margin, the top refugee resettlement state in the nation.

No time for more on this today.  But, if you want to see how Texas has come to this place in its history, see my Texas archive here.

Lexington KY: Catholic Church and Interfaith group stage refugee “pilgrimage” tomorrow

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

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?

 

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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?

From the Lexington Herald-Leader:

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.

More here.

Kentucky is a ‘welcoming state’!

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).

 

Syrians to KY
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 here for 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.

Germany: On eve of important regional election, German Leftists of all stripes head to the streets

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Invasion of Europe news…..

There was a massive (by all accounts) demonstration in Berlin yesterday, just as Bavarians in the south headed to the polls for a critical election today.

First, on the election, a sampling of headlines says it all!

At CNN:

Bavarians vote in election that may spell doom for Merkel

At Reuters:

Merkel’s Bavarian allies brace for bruising in state election

At The Express:

German Bavaria election polls: Angela Merkel IN CHAOS as Chancellor holds on by a thread

 

Berlin demonstration 2018
We are the World? Therein lies the problem!

 

But meanwhile in Berlin tens of thousands rallied for, well, everything! 

A hodge podge of Leftwing interest groups took to the streets ostensibly under a banner of opposition to racism and populism.  They want unity in Germany.

Underlying it all, of course, is the disastrous decision by the Merkel government to welcome hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa to the country beginning in 2014-2015.

Not much hope of unity now!

From Deutsche Welle:

Berlin protests against far-right politics draw thousands

Over 200,000 people have taken to the streets of Berlin to face down the rise of far-right populism in Germany and Europe. The protesters were demanding more solidarity with marginalized groups.

Berlin produced an absurdly hot and sunny fall day on Saturday to welcome an estimated 240,000 people demonstrating against racism and calling for solidarity against the rise of far-right populism across Germany.

Berlin demonstrator
Julia Naji joined Saturday’s protest to represent Cycling Friends, a Berlin initiative that, among other things, runs cycling classes for refugees. “Today, people will meet up and show that we should fight against racism and homophobia as loudly and with as many people as possible,” she told DW.

A 5-kilometer (3-mile) stretch of the capital city’s center, from Alexanderplatz through the Brandenburg Gate to the Victory Column, had to be closed down to accommodate the huge parade, which was united under the hashtag #unteilbar (“indivisible”).

The crowds were punctuated by 40 trucks mounted with loudspeakers, some delivering political messages, others pumping out music of all genres. They also included the traditional Berlin staple: the techno truck surrounded by semi-clothed dancers. The march was bookended by two concert events, the second of which was expected to stretch into the evening.

All kinds of organizations joined in, including trade unions, NGOs, political parties (both mainstream and fringe), gay rights groups, schools and theaters, all carrying a variety of banners, each with their own cause to promote (Ryanair workers were a conspicuous presence), but all united behind the slogan: “Solidarity not marginalization.”

[….]

Senior government figures lent their support to the demonstration, most notably Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who tweeted: “It is a great signal that so many people are going on the streets and showing a clear position: We are indivisible. We won’t let ourselves be divided — certainly not by right-wing populists.”

More here.

See my ‘Invasion of Europe’ archive here. And, I have written dozens of posts on dear Deutschland, here.

‘We are the world’ reminded me of one of my favorite youtube spoofs—-We con the world.  See it here.

Missouri: Catholic refugee agency complains about cuts to their federal funding

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Here is my solution for those doing Christian ‘charitable’ work for refugees—find more VOLUNTEERS! 

Do Catholics have to be paid by taxpayers to do their religious charitable work, it sure sounds like it!

Everywhere I turn there is a new story about how that mean ol’ Donald Trump is cutting the funding to ‘non-profit’ ‘humanitarian’ groups who place refugees in your towns and cities.  There are so many now I don’t post most of them.

This story, however, from Columbia, Missouri had a few nuggets of information, one in particular was new to me.

Refugee and Immigration Services, operated by Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri says it is being paid $4,000 a head per refugee it places.  Yikes! That is almost twice any number we have ever seen for the per head payment.

 

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Somali family welcomed to Columbia by Catholic Charities in wake of Trump 2017 ban.     https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/somali-refugees-affected-by-the-travel-ban-arrive-in-columbia/article_f7645b92-f54b-11e6-a52c-ab441118728a.html

 

From the Missourian:

Cuts to refugee admissions hit Columbia resettlement agency

The staff at Refugee and Immigration Services has been under increasing pressure, given the caps President Donald Trump has placed on the number of refugees allowed to enter the country. Those diminishing caps result in less federal money for agencies that serve refugees.

[….]

The budget from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2018 fell from $1 million to around $625,000, Dan Lester, director of Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, said. The local office also went from staff of 11 to seven, with only four being full-time. That means more duties for fewer people.

I just had a look at a recent Form 990 for this Catholic agency and yes they did receive a million dollars of taxpayer money and approximately $793,000 of it went to salaries, benefits, and pension plans for employees! 

The agency, which is funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has traditionally received about $4,000 per refugee to provide services during their first six to 12 months in the country, Lester said.

Agencies must help provide:

Payment for their first six months of rent.

Clothing, food and all daily household items.

Assistance in finding a job.

Access to English classes.

Access to social programs they may need, such as counseling or SNAP benefits. [Other welfare—ed]

Orientation into an entirely new culture.

It seems to me that most of that list could be handled by volunteers and private donations!

The Missourian continues…

While the agency still gets its $4,000 per refugee, that funding doesn’t factor in those who came to Columbia in previous years and still rely on local services, Finn said. [That is funny because we are told repeatedly that refugees are self-sufficient and on their own in under 6 months. Hmmm!—ed]

“We just don’t have the time and energy to give the refugees that we used to,” Finn said. “Everyone has a lot more families to work with.”

“Time and energy” sounds like something they could get for free from volunteers!

More here.

By the way, Catholic Charities are usually under the umbrella of their primary federal contractor—The US Conference of Catholic Bishops—for their refugee allotment each year.