This information is taken from Ann Corcoran’s Refugee Resettlement website. The facts are organized and to the point – and the good way to begin this blog.
From City to City, Town to Town
Top Down
The first decision to import refugees, in most cases, begins with the United Nations. Iraqis, Burmese, Congolese, Somalis and Bhutanese are being relocated to our country. The UN is pressuring the US to take a large number of Syrians. To say that these people are anti-American is an understatement. Yet, they flood into our country without our consent. These people are not only culturally different than Americans – but also from each other.
Usually the United States State Department chooses a resettlement contractor for your town. The names sound benign and often administrate under a church name. They are being paid by the federal treasury (your tax dollars) to bring refuges to your town.
The nine major contractors are listed below. They have 350 subcontractors working for them, headquartered in over 180 cities – maybe more.
· Church World Service (CWS)
· Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)
· Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM)
· Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
· International Rescue Committee (IRC)
· US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
· Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS)
· United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
· World Relief Corporation (WR)
The contractors obtain tax payer funded services for each refugee in the form of subsidized housing, welfare, food stamps, health care, school and job training. The contractors often work closely with big business and the local Chamber of Commerce which need cheap labor.
After several months, the contractor’s job ends as a new batch of refugee/immigrants enter the community. The earlier refugees are still struggling and left in the care of social services departments.
Be warned that you will suffer the system’s own brand of hate crime (against its own citizens) if you fight this constant influx of immigrants and refugees into your town. They will call you many names and label your groups as “pockets of resistance.”
The local school system will be the first victim followed by a lack of housing. A school system may end up with 50 or more languages in the student population.
Shockingly, refugees are permitted entry into our country with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and many other medical problems. Our local health departments will be overburdened.
Due to a Clinton era Executive order, the local government is responsible for providing interpreters, health systems and criminal justice.
Even though refugees often work at minimum wage jobs, they still benefit form many welfare programs. Elder refugees are eligible for SSI. Furthermore, they can obtain citizenship quickly.
What Can We Do???
Bottom Up – The Need for Informed Citizen Groups
Create informed citizens’ groups to research and network with others. Research the structure of your state program to obtain fiscal and legal facts about its resettlement program. Knowledge is Power!
Do all you can do before even the first refugee enters your town, you must ask questions in public. Educate your public officials and demand community meetings to voice your concerns. Get your elected politicians involved – both state and federal. Demand a public local hearing plus hearings at the regional Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS), your state refugee office and their contractors.
Meet with (call, write, fax, meet in person) your regional U.S. State Department
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) (in HHS)
Your state refugee office and their contractors, to answer questions from the citizens of the town or city.
Get your Member of Congress and US Senators involved
Don’t forget your state legislators
Keep records, documents, recordings of your work. When possible, get the media involved.
There is but one example: Newton Kansas declines to house migrant children.
As citizens and tax payers, demand to your elected officials that you need the federal government and its contractors to provide a plan.
Serious questions must be addressed. Refused to be bullied or intimidated. We must stand up for our rights or lose them forever.
Focus on facts and figures. Keep a cool head. This is a public record that can be referred to by many others in your state and in all the other states.
Who is coming? From where? How many?
Will they stop the resettlement if the town is becoming economically or socially stressed?
What security background checks and health screenings have these refugees undergone. Where are the records? Are they available to the public?
How many will come each subsequent year?
Who will pay for their health care?
Who will pay to educate their children.
Will refugees will be favored for government supported housing? Will those demands crowd our American elderly, the poor and disabled?
Where will they work? Our town already has high unemployment.
These and more questions can be asked. Share your information – work together.
