Tag: asylum seekers

Hong Kong court: refugees cannot work here

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment
The Court was concerned about “immigration control!”

This is a case followed closely by the human rights industrial complex around the globe.  Was George Soros paying for it?

The decision has them seething.

Honestly though most “refugees” and “asylum seekers” are not persecuted people, but are economic migrants looking for work and social services.   When access to those things are easily obtained, more will simply arrive in the country.  See Germany and Sweden which are inviting them and Israel which is attempting to remove them.

This decision is clearly designed to keep the flood gates closed in Hong Kong.

From a pro-open borders website, Refugee Work Rights:

Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal recently delivered a highly disappointing judgment in GA. v. Director of Immigration, unanimously deciding that refugees may be denied a right to work in the country. The decision, which has received considerable international attention, has been widely criticized by the public as unjust, inhumane and lacking in common sense.

Although Hong Kong’s law currently provides that asylum seekers, recognized refugees and torture claims may be granted “discretionary permission” to work by the Director of Immigration, in practice, this discretion is rarely exercised. As a result, these individuals are forced to reside in often-intolerable living conditions, work illegally and rely on a minimal government-backed allowance. With only approximately one hundred refugees in the territory, there is little weight to the argument that extending the right to work to refugees would have any notable impact upon Hong Kong’s labor market.

I think in fact the court used “common sense” by understanding that there are only a hundred “refugees” in the territory and not 1,000 or 10,000 simply because they can’t work or get handouts.

Tarnished reputation (ho-hum!):

The decision further entrenches an inadequate asylum policy in the territory, and thus, Hong Kong now must face its tarnished reputation as one of the few developed countries in the world who bans recognized refugees from fulfilling their fundamental right to work.

Who says it’s a fundamental right to work?

I just searched for any complaints at Refugee Work Rights about Saudi Arabia and its treatment of “refugee” workers, I could find nothing.  They must be too blank to take on the Saudis!

Germany overloaded with asylum seekers, tensions rise

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The first thing I noticed in this Deutsche Welle “news” story is the number of times the reporter was able to get the words “right-wing” into one report!  Check it out yourself (for a chuckle)!

Readers, we report refugee and asylum news from around the world so that you know how far ahead some countries are with their own cultural/demographic decline and the political backlash coming from the citizens.  And, we have a substantial readership particularly in Europe, Canada and Australia.

Sweden is probably the farthest along in its demographic “change,” but Germany is trying hard to catch up as it, along with Sweden, welcomes large numbers of so-called asylum seekers across their borders.   Germany has invited 10,000 Syrians to enter Germany this year on top of the Afghans and other Middle Easterners flowing over their borders.  Most of the illegal aliens are economic migrants and will have no legitimate claim to asylum.

Pro Asyl’s Burkhardt: Silence the “right-wing propaganda” and allow only our socialist propaganda. So, who are the real fascists?

The Deutsche Welle “news” is really no new news, just a rehash and a call to silence the “propaganda” of the “right-wing!”  Emphasis is mine:

 In the Bavarian city of Fichtelberg on a Saturday afternoon in January 2014, a group of men pushed their way into a refugee shelter. Dressed in black and partially masked, the intruders stopped at the stairwell and began yelling, according to sources quoted in the local newspaper “Nordbayerische Kurier.”

Nobody in the shelter, however, understood what the men were shouting as most of the refugees had just arrived in Bavaria and spoke no German. After the shouting, the black-clad group quickly left the refugee shelter.

Arson attacks, broken windows and racists slurs painted on buildings are among the rising number of right-wing acts of aggression against refugee shelters across Germany. The Federal Criminal Police (BKA) registered 59 right-wing offenses in 2013, more then twice as many as the year before.

Fear that the “right-wingers” will join forces with the regular German folks!  Eeek!

The German government also said it is concerned by the BKA statistics. “The right-wing scene turned noticeably against asylum seekers in 2013,” Pamela Müller-Niese, a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, said in a statement.

The number of asylum seekers in 2013 reached its highest level since 1999. A total of some 127,000 people from Syria, Afghanistan and other hot spots in the world fled to Germany last year. To accommodate them, numerous cities have converted empty schools and military barracks into temporary housing.

In many places, however, residents feel ignored, and right-wing extremists have taken advantage of the situation by joining anti-asylum protests in their neighborhood. Such was the case in Berlin-Hellersdorf. The situation there became so tense last year that refugees required police protection to enter their housing units.

“The far-right is trying to exploit the mood in many parts of the population,” said Günter Burkhardt. “There’s an attempt to connect to the middle of society.” [This Deutsche-Welle “news” story is designed to warn-off the middle of society from any association with the “far-right.”—-ed]

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Müller-Niese also said there were concerns about the right-wing appealing to more of society by hyping allegations of “asylum abuse.”

Half of Germans say the country already has too many asylum seekers, according to Funke.

The real fascists in Germany are those who want to silence the people!

Pro Asyl‘s Burkhardt called on politicians to take responsibility for curbing the right-wing’s populist propaganda in Germany. He said there needs to be a clear commitment to the basic right of asylum and corresponding measures that allow asylum seekers to integrate in Germany.

Burkhardt goes on to say, give the asylum seekers apartments and jobs which I suspect is the thing that will infuriate the “middle of society” the most, and it will attract more migrants to Germany!

Israeli program to pay ‘asylum seekers’ to leave is working!

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

And, the success so far confirms what the Israeli government has been saying all along—the majority of so-called ‘asylum seekers’ are economic migrants who do not have a legitimate claim of asylum, or they would be making it!

African protesters at US Embassy in Tel Aviv in January demanding to be allowed to stay in Israel.
https://refugeeresettlementwatch.org/2014/01/07/waiting-for-the-unhcr-to-blast-saudi-arabia-as-they-did-israel-yesterday/

From Haaretz:

A record 1,705 African asylum seekers left Israel in February, Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced Thursday. He also predicted that the wave of departures would continue in the coming months.

“This figure for the last month surprises me for the better,” Sa’ar said at a conference of Population and Immigration Authority directors in Ashkelon. “If the trend we identify continues, and I’ve been informed that it will continue into March, there will be a departure of enormous proportions from Israel this year. It is most important.”

February’s figure represents about 3% of the estimated number of African asylum seekers in Israel. The monthly figures have grown since November, from 63 to 325 in December and 765 in January.

“We stood up to constant propaganda insinuating there were tens of thousands of asylum seekers, even though you know that a tiny percentage of them submitted asylum requests,” said Sa’ar. “This whole theory collapsed in the last months when it turned out there was a large exodus of those who came for economic reasons and figured that in a day or two he would no longer be able to work and earn money, so we see a definitive change in direction.”

Sa’ar showed the statistics on a placard headlined “Voluntary departure data – illegal infiltrators” to make his point. Each African asylum seeker who leaves Israel through the end of next month is entitled to a $3,500 government grant.

Maybe we could try this in America!  The only difference is that the Israelis now have an almost impenetrable border fence, so more are not on the way.

Back to Haaretz:

There was a recent flurry of criticism when it was learned that some of the migrants chose to go to Uganda rather than to their home country.  But, leave it to a US refugee resettlement contractor, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society to stick its nose into Israel’s business (see our previous post here).

It remains unclear what, if any, agreement was made with Uganda. The Jewish-American Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society contacted the director of refugee affairs in the Ugandan prime minister’s office, and he responded that he did not know of any arrangement with Israel.

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society is one of nine major US resettlement contractors who resettle refugees for the US State Department in your cities and towns.   The US taxpayer supplies them with about half of their entire annual budget.  Their past CEO collected a salary in excess of $300,000 a year and we can assume their new one does as well.  Can it be called do-gooder-itis with a salary like that?

For new readers, we have 147 previous posts in our category ‘Israel and refugees’ here.

Maine brain drain! Reverse it with asylum seekers says developer turned spiritualist

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment
Richard Berman stands in front of Hope House. Berman wants to welcome asylum seekers to brain-drained Maine!

He says the City of Portland “gets it,” but the rest of Maine needs to “wake up!”

We’ve learned recently that as many as 70% of asylum claims are fraudulent, then there is the big NYT story about the Chinese frauds, and just this morning we learned of a large asylum fraud bust in Maryland, but if Mainers, like Richard Berman, want to lure them to Portland with free housing (welfare) until their claims are processed, Maine can have them if they promise to keep them!

Here is the story from the Bangor Daily News. Hat tip: Joanne.  Head honchos from the US State Department were in Maine last week for a PR tour.

PORTLAND, Maine — From home to school to work, the lives of refugees and asylum seekers received closer looks from federal and city officials this week.

On Friday, Feb. 21, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard visited Portland Adult Education and several local businesses to see how refugees and resettlement agencies are faring. Richard was accompanied by Lawrence Bartlett, state department director of refugee admissions.

Asylum seekers are not eligible for welfare nationally until their claims are approved, but in Maine, as we mentioned here recently, they do get welfare support and now they get housing thanks to developer/philanthropist/spiritualist Richard Berman.

On Tuesday, Mayor Michael Brennan cut the ribbon at ceremonies marking the opening of Hope House at 14 Sherman St. The apartment house has been home to 13 Africans seeking political asylum for almost six months.

Hope House, which was bought by developer Richard Berman and operated by the nonprofit Hope Acts, solves the most basic question asylum seekers such as Hugues Ingabire, 21, face when they arrive in Portland.

Berman says that Maine doesn’t have enough brains so they need asylum seekers and refugees to make up the shortfall.

Berman said welcoming and getting asylum seekers settled is a benefit to Maine’s future.

“This is the reverse of the brain drain,” he said.

Berman:  Wake up Maine!

Publicist Jen Dimond said she wants Brennan and other Hope House visitors to see the success of the collaboration between Berman and Hope Acts because it is understood the city does not have the resources to provide the full measure of help to refugees and asylum seekers.

Berman said city officials are doing what they can, even though there are limits.

“It seems like the city gets it,” he said. ‘It is the state that needs to wake up.”

So who is Richard Berman—the brain behind the plan for Portland?

Here is an article from last September that tells you all you need to know!

PORTLAND – Richard Berman is not your typical developer

Over the last 40 years, Berman has gained a reputation as a philanthropist, as well as a developer who values community engagement, “smart growth,” historic preservation and affordable housing.

Berman is drawn to mysticism and meditation. He was born and raised Jewish, before turning to Eastern religions. He now attends St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Cape Elizabeth and serves on the Maine Council of Churches.

“Just because you’re a real estate developer doesn’t mean you’re not spiritual,” Berman quipped.

Next month, the Cape Elizabeth resident will turn 68 years old and steer a new course in his career. Berman says will “semi-retire” so he can turn more of his full-time attention to philanthropic endeavors, without having to worry about profit margins.

“I want to turn my talent and treasures to good use,” Berman said. “I’m turning my attention to more spiritual matters like immigration and homelessness.”

Do-gooder-itis?  Or something else?

For new readers, we have an extensive archive on Maine, here. Be sure to check out one of our top posts for the last few years (from 2009)—-Maine the welfare magnet—about how the US State Department and Catholic Charities helped start the migrant stampede to Maine.

Syrians, helped by Mexico, coming across the US border, seek asylum

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Asylum fraud is becoming the immigration crisis of the day and I believe historians will look back at this period as the tipping point—-America governed by soft leaders who allowed our great nation to be dragged into the third world through a complete breakdown of our borders.  Don’t let it happen.  Please speak up and inform your friends and neighbors about what is happening, and tell those jokes in Washington to grow a pair!

Immigration attorney: “In the next six months to a year, you will see even more Syrians crossing into the United States from Mexico.”  Photo: Sandy Huffaker for The Wall Street Journal

Here is the latest asylum (fraud!) news from reporter Miriam Jordan at the Wall Street Journal (emphasis is mine):

In 2012, after being imprisoned and beaten, a Syrian dissident named Mohammad fled to neighboring Lebanon, where he applied for and was denied a U.S. tourist visa. Intent on rebuilding his life with family in California, he flew to Mexico City and then Tijuana. There, he crossed the U.S. border illegally and handed himself over to a customs official, seeking asylum. 

Last month, the U.S. granted him that status. In a year, he will be eligible to apply for permanent U.S. residency.

With the three-year-old Syrian conflict raging on, and U.S. embassies in the Middle East increasingly denying tourist visas, more Syrians are arriving in Mexico on tourist visas and using the country as a gateway to possible U.S. asylum. A Mexican embassy spokesman “had no comment on this matter.”

Some say the phenomenon underscores the need for a more coordinated international response to the Syrian crisis, while others worry it may offer too easy a path to U.S. residence for potential terrorists, given al Qaeda’s rising presence in Syria.

The Department of Homeland Security in fiscal 2013 recorded 118 Syrian “credible-fear” referrals such as Mohammad’s, up from five in fiscal 2010. In these cases, migrants declare fear of harm if returned to their home country and may stay in the U.S. while pursuing asylum.

By the way, I came across this article last night blaming the government shut-down on the backlog of immigration court cases and not on the huge spike in asylum claims as illegal aliens increasingly come across our borders and ask for asylum.

Jordan continued:

At the beginning of the war, it was easier for Syrians to secure U.S. visas. [That explains this Muslim with the eight kids—ed]. Those who entered the U.S. in recent years with visas to study, work or tour also have been increasingly claiming asylum. In fiscal 2013, such applications numbered 1,335, up from 36 in 2010.But as the conflict has flared, the U.S. has denied a higher proportion of Syrian visa requests: 46% in fiscal 2013 compared with 28% three years earlier. Many don’t qualify because they can’t prove they will return home after visiting the U.S. Thus, hundreds of Syrians, including women and children, have begun to show up at the U.S.-Mexico border prepared to seek asylum.

There is more, read it all!

As we previously reported, only a tiny fraction of asylum seekers are detained, the vast majority are released into your towns and cities.

Lawmakers, though, specifically cited a newly uncovered Immigration and Customs Enforcement document that showed thousands of asylum seekers were released while awaiting a decision.

The document, obtained and reviewed by FoxNews.com, showed that in fiscal 2012, just 2,508 of the more than 24,000 asylum seekers were kept in custody.

When we first started writing RRW in 2007, it was all about the refugee resettlement side of the Refugee Act of 1980, but gradually over the years the open borders agitators have been working overtime to build up the asylum side of the law.  I noted the change here in January 2011 (three years ago!!!) when I looked back at the 30th anniversary “celebration” of the Refugee Act I had attended the previous year (where there was much giddy enthusiasm for the asylum process).   How did poor downtrodden Somali teens get halfway around the world and arrive at our Mexican border seeking asylum—who helps them, where did they get the money, I asked.  Who now is helping the Syrians?