Tag: Donald Trump

North Dakota Republican Governor is a Definite Yes for More Refugees

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Because of the national attention Burleigh 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 gotten the clarification when 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

Forbes calls Governor Doug Burgum ‘America’s Best Entrepreneurial Governor’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/richkarlgaard/2017/06/13/americas-best-entrepreneurial-governor/#33d337087f21

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 others of you….

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

 

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

Also, see my archive on North Dakota.

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!

Reader Suggestion: Send Copy of Your Letter to US Secretary of State

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

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

US Department of State

2201 C St. NW

Washington, DC 20520

 

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

Try to get this done by Christmas!

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

If 16 Governors have Already Said YES to More Refugees, then Some are Hiding from the Media

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 5 Comments

Just now I reported on how the New York Times covered the Burleigh County North Dakota hearing and vote on whether that county would say yes, or no, to MORE refugees in the coming year.

A few paragraphs near the end of the biased report, which never mentions that the ‘religious’ groups placing refugees are actually federal contractors*** paid to place them in almost all states, jumped out at me.

Jenny Yang, lobbyist for World Relief, one of the nine contractors that monopolize all refugee placement in America, is lobbying governors.

Jenny Yang, working for the refugee contracting agency World Relief says 16 governors have already opted-in and told the State Department that they want MORE poor people for their state to take care of.

I’ve been following closely and so far media reports indicate only these states are in:

Pennsylvania

Oregon

Utah (R)

Washington

Virginia

New Hampshire (R)

North Dakota (?)(R)

Kansas

Arizona (R)

I guess you all need to find out if your governor has quietly opted-in without any public mention (that is, in secrecy).

From the New York Times:

Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy at World Relief, an evangelical agency whose work includes resettlement, has been steering an effort to lobby governors to keep their states open to refugees.

She said about 16 governors have submitted written consent, six of them Republicans. Gov. Doug Ducey, Republican of Arizona, agreed after receiving a letter supporting resettlement signed by 250 evangelical leaders. Gov. Greg Abbott, Republican of Texas, who leads the state that received the most refugees last year, has not yet offered his view, despite a plea from the mayor of Fort Worth to continue accepting refugees.

As I have been saying, they are gunning for Gov. Abbott of Texas.  Sure hope you Texans are telling the governor what you think.

Since Texas is the top resettlement state in the nation and has been for several years, Abbott could easily say—we need a breather to assimilate those we have ‘welcomed’ for the last decade!

 

***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!

North Dakota’s Burleigh County Says Yes to More Refugees, Sets a Cap

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 1 Comment

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!

 

Here is a brief story from local KFYR-TV:

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 Times story 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 NYT does 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.

You can read the whole NYT story yourself, here.

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…).

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

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.

If you are contacting elected officials please send me feedback at refugeewatcher@gmail.com

An Idaho Voter Sends Fabulous Letter to His Governor! You Can Do This Too!

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 7 Comments

Update December 10:  A reader suggests you copy your letters (that you are writing to county commissions and to your governor) to the US Secretary of State. See here.

Well, heck the Refugee Council USA (the lobbying arm of the refugee industry) prepared a “tool kit” for their followers to use to help them organize against the President and to argue for more refugees.

Governor Little is a fan of Chobani Yogurt (just so you know)!

They prepared template letters for their people!

(I’ve posted their “tool kit” here.)

Well, we can do that too!  A reader from Idaho shared his letter to Republican Governor Brad Little.

It’s great, you can use it too! 

Simply substitute your governor’s name and your state!  Maybe add a few more points you want to specifically make!

 

Dear Gov Little,

I am writing to urge you to advise the State Dept that Idaho will
NOT accept any more refugees. While I suspect Chobani and other Big Ag interests will push for a massive increase in refugee numbers, the
fact of the matter is that many parts of Idaho are already
experiencing a housing shortage as well as burgeoning school
enrollments. We need to take care of our state first.

Idaho has a relatively small population and you can bet that most
refugees will vote for Democrats, the party of Open Borders and Free
Stuff. We can’t out-pander the Dems, so let’s not try.

A major problem for states in taking refugees is that local
governments end up paying most of the costs for their healthcare and
education. Most refugees arrive with no English proficiency or useful
skills, many are illiterate in any language. This places a huge burden
on our educational system, a burden shouldered by local taxpayers.
Refugees often arrive with serious health problems that local hospital
districts are expected to pay for. Local governments are required to
provide interpreters in hospital, court and educational systems,
regardless of how exotic the language and expensive those services
are.

These are the kind of costs that “welcoming” states are required to
provide. I’m sick and tired of the feds dumping costs on local
taxpayers. The Refugee Act of 1980 promised that state and local
governments would not be forced to pay these costs. They lied, but
what else would you expect from a bill written by Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden and signed by Jimmy Carter? That says it all.

Finally, once a state says that refugees are welcome they will have
no choice as to what kind of refugees they receive. This is a problem
because most refugees are chosen by the UNHCR, a corrupt institution
run by an organization that hates us. Politicians are always saying
these people are seriously vetted, but that’s a lie. Many countries
sending us refugees are failed states that have little info on the
people they are choosing and we’re supposed to trust the UN.

While I am sure you’ll be getting lots of mail from refugee
contractors, this is one from an actual voter. Just say NO to more
refugees!

Thank you for reading!

By the way, Idaho has taken a lot of refugees over the years, so the Governor could simply say that the state needs a breather, time for the existing refugees to assimilate.

Shame on You if You Don’t Take 15 Minutes to Do This!

This post is filed in my ‘Where to find information category’ where all of my recent posts on this make-or-break issue may be found.

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.

As I said in my post this morning:

If you are contacting elected officials please send me feedback at refugeewatcher@gmail.com