Tag: Donald Trump

Trump is killing temporary refugee program, or is he?

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

“I think we should fold all of the TPS people that have been here for a considerable period of time and find a way for them to be [on] a path to citizenship.”

(White House Chief of Staff John Kelly)

From time to time over the years, I’ve reported on the ridiculously named “Temporary Protected Status” immigration program that has allowed many migrants (who were likely already in the country illegally from TPS-designated countries) to stay in the US and work, get drivers licenses and probably thus vote!  (Designated usually in the wake of a now long forgotten natural disaster.)

trump wall thumbs up
How much is Trump going to give away to get the wall?

As The Hill reports, the Trump Administration is ordering that most (some of whom have been here for nearly 2 decades) begin to pack their bags.
But here we learn it is all apparently part of the ‘art of the deal,’ and that perhaps the administration will find them and the ‘Dreamers’ a path to citizenship if they get a few things, including the wall, but only if Congress actually passes a law—a comprehensive bill (ugh! it’s back!).
Can’t we for once address each immigration program on its merits or demerits! And are we really going to give legal status to hundreds of thousands who are here illegally?
 
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Hissy fits in Australia as US says no to Iranians and Somalis in refugee deal

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been having computer problems so this is going to be a quickie update on the “dumb” Australia refugee deal that we should never have entered in to with the Australian government.

Trump and Turnbull
Trump should have followed his first instincts and told Turnbull a flat out NO!

In January of 2017, Trump should have said NO! to the outrageous Obama arrangement for us to take off the Australians’ hands 1,250 of their detained refugee wannabes.
So now this is all dragging out with the Lefty press taking shots at the US each step of the way.
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Refugee admissions from Africa and the Near East/South Asia way off the mark

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

While the Europe ceiling has been almost reached after 7 months.
As you know, the President set the CEILING for refugee admissions for Fiscal Year 2018 back in September at 45,000.
We are now 7 months in to that fiscal year and the US State Department database (maintained by contractor Wrapsnet) has a detailed accounting of who we have admitted and where they are from.
First, here (below) is a graph showing the CEILING and the actual monthly admissions numbers for the last ten years. On April 30th, the seven month mark, we have admitted 12,188.
When you go to Wrapsnet, here, this is data from a spread sheet found by clicking on this line under Admissions Reports: PRM Admissions Graph April 30, 2018.
(They usually update these numbers around the 5th of each month for the previous months of the fiscal year.)
 
Screenshot (1291)
 

The world is divided into 5 regions for the purpose of setting ceilings and admitting refugees.

See how many we have admitted so far….
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Trump White House (again) thinking about moving refugee admissions OUT of State Department

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

The stated reason to consider moving the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) to the independent USAID is to save money by bringing our admissions program and humanitarian foreign aid together under one roof.

pompeo and tillerson
What will new Secretary of State Pompeo do? (outgoing Rex Tillerson appeared to have been hands-off when it came to refugees).

I’m in no position to judge the wisest place to move it, but I am eager to see the little fiefdoms fall and cozy relationships broken between resettlement contractors and DOS bureaucrats.
And, I have long maintained that refugee admission decisions should not be used as part of our foreign policy wheeling and dealing!
As early as 2012 (when the State Department did formerly invite comment on the program), I gave 10 reasons for a moratorium and this is my number seven:

7)   Congress needs to specifically disallow the use of the refugee program for other purposes of the US Government, especially using certain refugee populations to address unrelated foreign policy objectives—Uzbeks, Kosovars, Meshketians and Bhutanese (Nepalese) people come to mind.

If I were to write that today, I would be adding those Australian detainees we are magically transforming in to legitimate refugees for your American towns!

Either people are legitimate refugees deserving a shot at a better life and have no other options, or not. The program shouldn’t be used in any carrot/stick foreign policy wrangling.

But, that is exactly what a spokeswoman for the International Rescue Committee is arguing at Foreign Policy in a story entitled:

White House Weighs Taking Refugee Programs Away From State Department

Mike Pompeo’s first test could be a plan to remove refugee aid from Foggy Bottom

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Nigerians 'escaping' US and asking for asylum in welcoming Canada

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Well what should Canada expect when their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited them in in the immediate wake of the election of Donald J. Trump!  Now the Canadians have the audacity to tell us we have to be more strict about who we admit to the US, so our soil doesn’t become a stepping stone to their welcoming arms in the north.
 

Trudeau diversity heart
Toning down Trudeau’s welcome!

 
Before I get to the story from the Washington Post, let me say a few words about the asylum racket. Unlike the usual US Refugee Admissions Program that I write about all the time where ‘refugees’ are selected abroad and flown here, prospective asylum seekers arrive in a safe country and request asylum by claiming they will be persecuted if returned home for reasons such as religion, race, political persuasion etc. (running from crime and violence is not a legitimate reason for eligibility!).
If they are granted asylum they are then full-fledged refugees who get all of the ‘services’ other refugees receive. 
trudeau tweet
A tweet heard around the world!

 
According to the UN and following generally understood international norms, they are to ask for asylum in the FIRST safe country they reach.
But, all of that first country stuff is out the window as people all over the world are out doing “asylum shopping.” 
If they land in Greece they want Germany and those Central Americans on our southern border right now were supposed to have asked for asylum in Mexico, but they are testing our asylum system knowing that if they get a foot in the door the process will drag out for years.
The Nigerians crossing into Canada are also shopping because they believe the political climate in the US, under President Trump, is not conducive to a favorable ruling in an asylum claim.
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