Tag: Donald Trump

Sixteen Republican Representatives Tell President they Want More than 18,000 Refugees

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 10 Comments

The letter to the President was spearheaded by Michigan Rep. Bill Huizenga and was clearly written with the aid of refugee industry lobbyists*** because it contains the language I see everywhere coming out of places like the Refugee Council USA and the federal resettlement contractors who depend on federal dollars for their supposed charitable work.

Republican Rep Bill Huizenga’s letter is boilerplate refugee industry lingo!

Claiming they fear we aren’t protecting enough people experiencing religious persecution they list wholly Muslim countries like Somalia and Afghanistan whose nationals they say we must admit.

But, there is not one word about persecuted Christians, which might have made their appeal to the President understandable at least.

Any day now the President will decide if the number for FY2020 will be 18,000, see here.

Below is Huizenga’s press release and the letter in its entirety.

Is your Republican member of Congress pressing the President for MORE third worlders for your Congressional District?

Huizenga: The Trump Administration Should Reconsider its Position on Refugee Resettlement

On Friday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) sent a letter, with 16 of his Republican colleagues, to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding the need for the United States to continue to open its doors to refugees displaced by conflict and facing religious persecution. The letter is in response to the Trump Administration recently announcing its plan to reduce the number of refugees admitted to the United States to a record-low level of 18,000 people.

“America cannot lead from behind on the issue of religious persecution and refugee resettlement,” said Congressman Bill Huizenga. “West Michigan has a long standing tradition of opening its doors to those facing persecution as well as welcoming individuals who have been displaced because of armed conflict. Whether it is our faith-based institutions, non-profit organizations, or individuals within the community, West Michigan continues to set an example Washington could learn from. The Trump Administration should reconsider its position.”

The letter is available below.

Dear Secretary Pompeo:

Since our nation’s founding, the United States has served as a beacon of hope to those suffering from oppression and conflict across the globe. The Statute of Liberty perfectly encapsulates our outstretched hand, accepting the world’s huddled masses who yearn to be free. As the world continues to face an overwhelming refugee crisis, we respectfully urge you to uphold our nation’s commitment to assist individuals who have been displaced by violence and strife.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are approximately 20 million refugees worldwide with more than 50 percent being children. Among those, roughly eight million refugees are from Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Additionally, another 37,000 people are forced to flee their homes every day due to conflict and persecution in their home countries.

Continued U.S. leadership is critical in addressing ongoing humanitarian crises caused by civil war and persecution and in assisting displaced persons. One area where America can lead is by creating and protecting de-escalation zones near war-torn countries and providing humanitarian assistance to people in need. We must also continue to accept and care for refugees here in America.

In our communities throughout the country, there is a long history of opening doors to assist refugees. Local leaders, faith groups, and businesses have come together to create an environment where refugees are welcomed and receive the services necessary to learn English, find employment, and become part of the fabric of their new communities.

As such, we urge you to maintain the United States’ longstanding commitment to assist refugees with a special focus on assisting individuals hailing from nations facing the worst conditions possible. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Representatives who signed the letter led by Ken Buck (CO) include: Fred Upton (MI), Susan W. Brooks (IN), John Curtis (UT), Scott Tipton (CO), Doug Lamborn (CO), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Steve Stivers (OH), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA), John Katko (NY), Dan Newhouse (WA), Rob Woodall (GA), Chris Stewart (UT), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL).

In July, Congressman Huizenga spoke out against eliminating the refugee resettlement program when reports circulated that the Trump Administration was considering such a proposal.

If you live in the district of one of those members and disagree with their pressuring the President, you need to let your representative know.

When they sign letters like this they assume it is a freebie for them.  They will get brownie points from Open Borders Inc. and suffer no down side.

It is your job to be sure they know there is a downside.  You could write a letter to your local paper critical of their stance on refugees.  Be sure to attend town halls when they are home campaigning so you can ask them in public to defend their position on refugees.

Maybe ask them why you, the taxpayers, are paying for it all but have no say in where they will be placed, and most importantly ask why we aren’t taking care of our own vulnerable Americans first!

*** A final comment on the subject of lobbyists.  The refugee industry has lobbyists galore.  Not just the Refugee Council USA but every one of the nine contractors has either formal lobbyists (Catholic Bishops and Lutherans for example) and informal lobbyists who help identify soft touches on the refugee program.

Some one, or several, draft a letter like this, and it is the lobbyist working with their principle author, in this case Huzienga staffers, who run around Capitol Hill with the draft letter to get co-signers.  It might require reaching back to the district to get some influential church group, interfaith group, Chamber of Commerce types who then also call the member to encourage their support for the letter.

Those of us who want to see the US Refugee Admissions program slowed, reformed or dumped outright have no lobbyist on the Hill!

 

 

More Delays in Refugee Admissions as President has Yet to Sign-Off on 2020 Numbers

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 2 Comments

Late in September the word went out that for the new fiscal year (2020) which began on October first, the CEILING on refugee admissions for the year would be 18,000 (not the zero I wanted!), and that arrivals would be delayed for three weeks.

The three weeks end on Monday, the 21st, but now comes word that more refugee flights have been cancelled and the new arrivals are expected to begin trickling in after the 28th of the month.

We also learn that the President has yet to sign-off on the 18,000!

Needless to say the refugee contractors*** are not happy.

Here is CNN where we learn a little bit more about the closed door meeting on the Hill this past Tuesday between Sec. of State Pompeo and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

More refugee flights to the US are being canceled

Flights for refugees who have been approved to come to the United States continue to be canceled, in some cases for the second time, CNN has learned.

Last month, CNN reported that travel for refugees who were told they could come to the US was postponed, due to a moratorium on travel that extended through October 21, raising concerns among refugee resettlement agencies.

The moratorium will now run until October 28, with arrivals expected to resume on October 29, according to a State Department spokesperson.

Senator Lindsey Graham appealed to Pompeo to bring in the already approved refugees—what thousands?  Graham has been a long-time proponent of the refugee program.

[….]

The Trump administration has proposed capping the number of refugees allowed into the US at 18,000, a historic low. In a meeting this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the US admit refugees who are travel ready, in addition to the 18,000, according to a congressional aide who attended the meeting.

Graham appeared concerned about the situation in Syria, the aide said.

[….]

Jen Smyers works for Church World Service that partnered with the Council on American Islamic Relations in that hokey publicity stunt I reported here: https://refugeeresettlementwatch.org/2019/10/16/18-arrested-on-capitol-hill-protesting-trump-refugee-policy-but-where-was-the-media/

The proposed 18,000 refugee cap, coupled with the situation in Syria and postponed travel has fueled concerns.

“There were cases that were re-booked in September for October 8 and then re-booked for October 22 and now trying to rebook for October 29. You’re basically inserting about a month and a half of when someone was expected to travel and when they are,” said Jen Smyers, director of policy and advocacy for the immigration and refugee program at Church World Service, one of the nine resettlement agencies.

More than 200 refugees were expected to travel to the US next week, according to a source familiar. Their flights have been canceled.

[….]

“We will work with our implementing partners to plan for a resumption of refugee arrivals on or after October 29,” a State Department spokesperson said, adding: “This will include rescheduling travel for those affected by the extension of the refugee arrivals pause. By law, no refugees may be admitted this fiscal year until the President determines the number that may be admitted. When the Presidential Determination is issued, we will begin admitting refugees in accordance with its provisions.”

The President has not yet signed off on the 18,000!

The canceling and re-booking of refugee flights suggests that there may be a delay in the President signing off on the 18,000-person refugee cap.

See my post from Thursday about the Hill meeting with Pompeo, here.

It is not too late! You can still weigh in by contacting the White House.  You can be sure that thousands of open borders activists are pressuring the White House any way they can.

***For new readers these are the nine federal refugee contractors that not only place refugees in towns across the country, but lobby Congress and organize publicity against this President all while sucking down millions of your tax dollars!  Cut them loose from the federal teat!

 

 

18 Arrested on Capitol Hill Protesting Trump Refugee Policy, but where was the Media?

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 2 Comments

***Update***  I just went back after a few hours to see if any national media has picked up the news, and nope, nothing yet. A few more bits of news by the protesters themselves, like this Catholic news outfit crowing that the Catholics (not to be left out!) were there too!

Okay, so yesterday was the big protest day for Church World Service and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) so I figured surely there would be gobs of media reports on the success of their anti-Trump protest especially since they succeeded in getting arrested!

Where is the WaPo?  Where is CNN?  Anyone see any coverage?

By the way, who comes up with this hokey stuff?

The only news I found so far comes from organizers Amnesty International and another Lefty outfit called Common Dreams.

Is this goofy or what! That is the Rev. McCullough of Church World Service on the far left. He pulls in an annual salary and benefits package of nearly $300,000 from the quasi-government CWS. Looks like Anne Richard, Obama’s refugee chief next to him, and then of course CAIR’s Nihad Awad fourth from the left.

Here is Amnesty:

In response to the Trump Administration’s continued assault on the U.S. refugee resettlement program, 18 leaders from the nation’s leading faith and human rights organizations, as well as a former State Department official, were arrested on Capitol Hill as part of the first ever act of civil disobedience in the name of refugee resettlement. Those 18 arrested represented the 18,000 refugee cap set by the Trump administration – the lowest in the history of the resettlement program.
Continue reading here if you want to see what each of the protesters had to say.  If not, see who sponsored the publicity stunt:
Today’s protest was cosponsored by: Church World Service, Sahloul, Franciscan Action Network, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Center for Victims of Torture, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, Amnesty International USA, Disciples Refugee and Immigration Ministries, American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, Congregations Action Network, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, Sojourners, NOVA Friends of Refugees/One Journey.
Where is HIAS I wondered, they usually love to protest in Washington?
The large gathering…..
For more information and more photos, visit Common Dreams.

Will the President Stand Firm on Determination to Admit 18,000 Refugees this Year?

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 3 Comments

Any day now, the Administration will send a delegation to the Hill to consult with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the President’s plan to admit a maximum number of 18,000 refugees to the US in FY2020 (the fiscal year began on October 1).

A reminder:  Trump set the level for FY19 at 30,000 and reached that ceiling on September 30th.  An 18,000 ceiling for FY20 would be the lowest in the program’s history.

Over the last couple of weeks there have been dozens and dozens of stories planted throughout America each one showcasing some poor refugee family that would not be reunited if the ceiling is that low.  And, without fail, the articles tell us which of the resettlement contractors had to close subcontractor offices.

Frankly I have read so many of these whiny stories I want to barf.  That said, I would like you to have a look at this one from Twin Falls, Idaho where the local resettlement subcontractor is expected to continue in operation for another year at least and my guess is that is in order to keep a refugee worker flow going to Chobani Yogurt.  See my Twin Falls archive here.

However, when quoting the director of the program there, the reporter, Megan Taros, says something that is not factually correct and I want to mention that to you:

A new executive order issued by President Trump last month that cuts the number of refugees the U.S. will accept from 30,000 to 18,000 this fiscal year threatens the center’s funding. The center receives federal money based on the number of people it takes in. With the new order its approved intake, which is now 140, may drop. Congress will meet on Tuesday to decide what the final nationwide cap on refugees will be.

Maybe the consultation will happen today as the reporter suggests, but Congress will NOT DECIDE ON THE FINAL NATIONWIDE CAP.  Congress’ only role under the Refugee Act of 1980 is a consultation role when it comes to setting the upcoming ceiling/cap (but of course they do appropriate the funding for the President’s plan).

That said, it will be interesting to see if over the last few weeks, the massive media PR campaign (like the one here in Twin Falls)  by the refugee industry has succeeded in getting the administration to up its original number of 18,000!

The article also reminded me to direct you to the Refugee Council USA‘s (lobbyists for the refugee industry) report which lists the subcontractor offices that have been closed since the Trump Administration began reducing the number of refugees being admitted.

Please take a minute and go here to see if an office has closed in your city.

Scroll down to page 23 to see the list.  Here is a screenshot of the first page:

Trump can’t do this alone!

If you want to see the Refugee Program dumped or reformed, you must get involved now where you live.  This is no time to sit back and assume the President is taking care of this.  The refugee industry is extremely well funded and has a massive media network.

As soon as the Trump Administration ends—it will sooner or later—they will be back full steam ahead and they have been laying the ground work with the sob-story news reports spread throughout small city newspapers everywhere.

One thing you can do right now is to send letters or opinion pieces to papers like this one to express the theme I think is most powerful—why aren’t we taking care of our own vulnerable people first?  After all, we the taxpayers are paying for all of this!  Use some statistics or sad stories about your community.

And, it goes without saying, you absolutely must attempt to elect people to local offices that represent your views on the subject of mass migration!  Start now by dogging candidates for the 2020 Elections and press them on their views on immigration!

 

Syracuse Letter Writer: Take Care of Americans First!

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 1 Comment

Easily the first question anyone asks who is hearing for the first time that we have admitted to the US, at great taxpayer expense, hundreds of thousands of refugees over the last four decades is this:

Why aren’t we taking care of our own vulnerable people first?

The other day when I said that we need a grassroots group called ‘Migration Moratorium Now!’ I figure the subtitle would be something like this: ‘Take Care of Americans First!’

And, that is the gist of this letter, thanks to reader Joanne for sharing it, at Syracuse.com:

Syracuse is falling apart, and Mayor Walsh’s priority is refugees?

The writer, Paul Strail, is responding to a lengthy opinion piece written by the latest liberal mayor of Syracuse, Ben Walsh, with the help of Michael Melara executive director of Catholic Charities of Onondaga County.

Here is just a bit of Mr. Strail’s response to the mayor:

Mayor Ben Walsh establishing his bonafides as an Anti-Trump liberal.

The Post-Standard recently reported that Syracuse is still one of the poorest cities in the country. Nevertheless, Mayor Ben Walsh wrote in your paper that President Donald Trump was wrong to limit the number of refugees that the United States could allow (“Dear President Trump, Syracuse wants refugees,” Sept. 26, 2019).

This seems like a strange priority for Walsh to stake out, especially because his city is falling apart . At times, there seem to be homeless men and women panhandling on every street corner. Many of these folks are veterans.

[….]

The murder rate in Syracuse is too high. Academic achievement in the city schools is too low. So, when the mayor should be focused on meeting the many vital needs of his own city, he has to let everyone know that his real concern lies in preventing Trump from restricting the flow of foreign refugees into his city. How that misguided priority will help improve the crime rate, boost academic achievement in the schools, elevate the standard of living of the city’s poor and homeless, and give struggling homeowners some kind of tax relief, is anyone’s guess.

The truth is that Syracuse’s reputation as a sanctuary city must be maintained if Walsh hopes to win the support (and donations) of enough liberal Democrats in the next election. Loudly criticizing the president is the best way to do that. The suggestion that the president must hate refugees because he is an extraordinary bigot is the means by which Walsh is feeding red meat to Syracuse’s Trump-haters.

I dare not copy any more of it, please read Mr. Strail’s sensible analysis.

One thing that the refugees of Syracuse have done is to turn this Catholic Church into a mosque. Read about how the crosses were removed and how there was to be no media coverage of the conversion. https://www.syracuse.com/news/2015/08/from_church_to_mosque_syracuse_islamic_group_cuts_crosses_tries_to_connect_to_ne.html

One of the first things I would ask the mayor is this: Since Syracuse has ‘welcomed’ 10,000 refugees to the city over a recent ten year period, where is the proof that they have revitalized the city?

Indeed are they still there, or like the Bosnians who supposedly helped boost the economy of St. Louis have they moved out of a city run by progressive politicians?

Amazing how either people don’t read, or have very short memories.

In 2015 we reported on a story from the Atlantic about how Syracuse is falling into perpetual poverty as its poorer sections become poorer with the importation of already impoverished refugees!

I call this illogical argument—that refugees bring economic boom times to struggling cities—the big lie!