Are they worrying over Tennessee at the US State Department?

You bet they are!  Why else send a high level delegation to the state last week to chat it up with those who drafted a bill that was ultimately signed into law that tells the feds they must do what federal law already says—coordinate with local officials before refugees are resettled into a particular state. … Continue reading Are they worrying over Tennessee at the US State Department?

Tennessee: Refugee Absorptive Capacity Act could be the ticket for other areas experiencing refugee overload

A model for other states? Just a week ago we told you about the mayor of Manchester, NH begging for a moratorium on refugees being resettled in his city.   The Tennessee bill, just passed and signed into law and discussed in some detail in the Shelbyville Times Gazette, may be just the model other states … Continue reading Tennessee: Refugee Absorptive Capacity Act could be the ticket for other areas experiencing refugee overload

State Senator takes major step to reform refugee program in Tennessee

In what may be the first such effort in the Nation, Tennessee State Senator Jim Tracy has introduced a bill that seeks to regain some local and state control over the refugee resettlement program in his state—control that has been gradually usurped by the US State Department, the US Dept. of Health and Human Services … Continue reading State Senator takes major step to reform refugee program in Tennessee

Update: Garden City, KS and meatpacking giant Tysons Fresh Meats

This is an update (see one of our previous posts here in July 2009) of the ongoing efforts in Garden City, KS, a meatpacking town, to try to head off in advance clashes between ethnic groups lured to a midwestern city by the promise of meatpacking jobs.  See also our category on Greeley, CO and Grand Island, NE (chaotic … Continue reading Update: Garden City, KS and meatpacking giant Tysons Fresh Meats