U.S. Will Speed Entry Of Refugees From Iraq
Washington Post ^ | September 22, 2007 | Paul Lewis
About 12,000 Iraqi refugees will be admitted into the United States over the next year as measures to speed up the process begin to take effect, government officials said yesterday. The new target represents an increase in the number and pace of Iraqi refugees entering the country and means that 17 percent of the 70,000 refugees expected to be admitted next year will come from Iraq, officials from the State Department told reporters...
In February, State Department officials promised to expand their commitment to Iraqi refugees, but long delays in reviewing applications have drawn sharp criticism..
Officials said that of the 11,000 refugee applicants referred to the United States by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, only 1,135 have been admitted. More are scheduled to enter before the end of the month, but officials acknowledged that they will probably fall short of the State Department's target of 2,000 arrivals this fiscal year...Yesterday's announcement was received with caution by some lawmakers...But administration officials defended their record ...
"We had to literally build programs in Syria and Jordan," said Terry Rusch, who directs the office of admissions in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. She added that the refugee program has "accelerated dramatically.."
Paul Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary for policy at Homeland Security, described the government's efforts over the past six months as "heroic...You show me another government program that goes from a standing start to full on in six months," he said. Of the 4,300 Iraqi refugees interviewed this fiscal year, he said, 753 have been rejected for reasons including criminal records and inconsistencies in their stories. The officials conceded difficulty in processing cases in Syria, where a number of U.S. officials have been denied entry visas.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Libertatem Prius!
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The video that I have posted below shows the changing values of our government and police force.
The intrusion of Muslim and Islamic values into our once great country.
The persecution of Christians which is now happening in America.
This small group of Christian men are shown peacefully sharing the word of God. Hundreds if not thousands of Muslims surround them, cursing, throwing objects at them (cement, stones, bottles, crates, whatever they can find).
Police come by several times to speak to the Christians.
Yet, they offer them no help, and actually accuse the Christians of instigating violence and disruptive behavior. Unbelievable! You do not see any of the police stopping the Muslims or even speaking to them.
This is what’s happening to America. It is being overrun with Muslims.
Peaceful Muslims, just like the ones in this video. This is the truth. They speak lies and tell you they are peaceful. Yet in the video they are cursing, harassing, threatening and attacking the Christians.
Whatever happened to the right of free speech? Why aren’t the police protecting our rights?
This is the world we now live in. What was once “Good” is now “Bad” and what was once “Bad” is now “Good”! The world has turned inside out. Evil is increasing by the day. Demonic forces are hard at work.
This is a must see video. I know that it is long, but, you must see the truth of what is happening to America! God Bless!
Network News
By Paul Lewis
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 22, 2007
About 12,000 Iraqi refugees will be admitted into the United States over the next year as measures to speed up the process begin to take effect, government officials said yesterday.
The new target represents an increase in the number and pace of Iraqi refugees entering the country and means that 17 percent of the 70,000 refugees expected to be admitted next year will come from Iraq, officials from the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security told reporters.
An estimated 4 million Iraqis have been displaced and about 2.2 million have fled the country, mainly to Syria and Jordan, since the March 2003 U.S. invasion. Tens of thousands of those are believed to have left after they were targeted because of their work for U.S. or coalition authorities.
In February, State Department officials promised to expand their commitment to Iraqi refugees, but long delays in reviewing applications have drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, refugee groups and senior diplomats.
Officials said that of the 11,000 refugee applicants referred to the United States by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, only 1,135 have been admitted. More are scheduled to enter before the end of the month, but officials acknowledged that they will probably fall short of the State Department's target of 2,000 arrivals this fiscal year.
The Bush administration announced on Wednesday the appointment of two senior officials who will work to improve the government's response to the Iraqi refugee crisis. Immigration law expert Lori Scialabba was appointed as a senior adviser at the Homeland Security Department, and diplomat James B. Foley will become the State Department's senior coordinator for Iraqi refugee issues.
Yesterday's announcement was received with caution by some lawmakers. They said the administration has an obligation to protect many more Iraqis whose lives have been endangered because of their work for U.S. or coalition authorities.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said the administration's performance has been "slow and halting," and he promised to press ahead with legislative reforms to U.S. refugee programs.
"America has an obligation to help those who are persecuted, especially those who have the assassin's target on their back because of their association with our government," he said.
But administration officials defended their record at yesterday's briefing, saying that before February there was no program in the region to handle the unexpected flood of Iraqi refugees.
"We had to literally build programs in Syria and Jordan," said Terry Rusch, who directs the office of admissions in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. She added that the refugee program has "accelerated dramatically" now that resources are in place.
Paul Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary for policy at Homeland Security, described the government's efforts over the past six months as "heroic."
"You show me another government program that goes from a standing start, ground zero, to full on in six months," he said. Of the 4,300 Iraqi refugees interviewed by his department this fiscal year, he said, 753 have been rejected for reasons including criminal records and inconsistencies in their stories.
The officials conceded continued difficulty in processing cases in Syria, where a number of U.S. officials have been denied entry visas.
"Not only has DHS not been able to get in to do more adjudications, but we have not been able to expand our own processing staff at the pace we would normally have done because of restrictions by the government of Syria," Rusch said.
Syria has absorbed 1.5 million Iraqi refugees -- by far the most of any nation.
But since September 2006, only 208 have been admitted to the United States after being processed in that country.
According to a report, since the start of the Iraq War in 2003 roughly 30,000 Iraqi refugees have arrived in metro-Detroit. Some of the obstacles the refugees are dealing with include language barriers, driving, poor mental health, and not having the high education levels required to get employed among other serious issues.
In 2012 Michigan estimated 4,600 arrivals. March marked the tenth anniversary of the Iraq war.
Speaking to WDET Madhia Tariq, a project coordinator for the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services said 75 percent of the refugees seeking help from ACCESS are Iraqis. She says many local programs are only available to help Iraqis for a short term, but ACCESS works with refugees for longer terms or as long as necessary.
ACCESS and the Arab and Chaldean Council (ACC) both have programs to assist Iraqis who're victims of torture. A significant portion of Iraqi refugees have migrated to Macomb County, and are shaping its makeup.
Tariq said she doesn't see the large influx of Iraqi refugees decreasing soon, and expects it to continue for a few years she noted that in the future, the group could also see a significant number of Syrian refugees emigrating to southeast Michigan, who will also require assistance. If you know a refugee who's a victim of torture call ACCESS at 313.842.7010 or the ACC, 248.559.1990 to ask about their programs.
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
"Your grandchildren will live under communism."
“You Americans are so gullible.
No, you won’t accept To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ."
We’ll so weaken your To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. like overripe fruit into our hands."
Saddam Hussein has met his demise, but today Senator Ted Kennedy reminds us of another one of the costs of that demise, “the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi men, women and children who have fled their homes and often their country to escape the violence of a nation increasingly at war with itself,” a war that George W. Bush dropped in their laps.
The refugees are witnesses to the cruelty that stains our age, and they cannot be overlooked. America bears heavy responsibility for their plight. We have a clear obligation to stop ignoring it and help chart a sensible course to ease the refugee crisis. Time is not on our side. We must act quickly and effectively.
Today, within Iraq, 1.6 million people have already fled or been expelled from their homes. An additional 1.8 million, fleeing sectarian violence, kidnappings, extortion, death threats and carnage, have sought refuge in neighboring countries. At least 700,000 are in Jordan, 600,000 in Syria, 100,000 in Egypt, 54,000 in Iran and 20,000 in Lebanon. Typically they are not living in refugee camps but have relocated in urban areas, where they must draw on their own meager resources to pay for food and shelter, and must depend on the good graces of the host governments.
The neighboring countries, in turn, are under enormous financial stress from the rapidly increasing needs of the refugees. In Jordan, they now make up more than 10 percent of the population — the equivalent of 30 million people flooding America’s shores. These countries are increasingly unable to meet the refugees’ basic needs.
Borders are being closed to more and more of these men, women and children, with the result that many who are most in need or in danger are trapped in the Iraqi caldron of violence. As it continues to boil, the humanitarian crisis will only worsen.
The recent report of the Iraq Study Group rightly concluded that if this refugee situation “is not addressed, Iraq and the region could be further destabilized, and the humanitarian suffering could be severe.” Sadly, as with so many other aspects of the Iraq war — from the growing threat of the insurgency to the need to provide adequate armor for our troops — the administration has failed to recognize the breadth of the crisis and to adjust our policy to address the plain facts on the ground.
There is an overwhelming need for temporary relief and permanent resettlement. Last year, however, America accepted only 202 Iraqi refugees, and next year we plan to accept approximately the same number. We and other nations of the world need to do far better.
Thousands of these refugees are fleeing because they have been affiliated in some way with the United States. Cooks, drivers and translators have been called traitors for cooperating with the United States. They know all too well that the fate of those who work with U.S. civilians or military forces can be sudden death. Yet, beyond a congressionally mandated program that accepts 50 Iraqi translators from Iraq and Afghanistan each year, the administration has done nothing to resettle brave Iraqis who provided assistance in some way to our military. This lack of conscience is fundamentally unfair. We need to do much more to help Iraqi refugees, especially those who have helped our troops.
Our nation is spending $8 billion a month to wage the war in Iraq. Yet to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the refugees who have fled the war, the State Department plans to spend only $20 million in the current fiscal year.
America needs to lead, but we cannot adequately respond to this overwhelming crisis alone. Because of the magnitude of the problem, we also need action by Iraq’s neighbors and the rest of the world. An essential first step could be to hold an international conference on the issue — ideally sponsored by the countries in the region and the United Nations — to begin to deal with the growing number and needs of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. The United States should participate in the conference and provide substantial support for the refugees. Doing so would encourage other nations to address the crisis, help the refugees and displaced persons, and assist the countries shouldering the greatest burden.
Working with Iraq’s neighbors and the United Nations, we can encourage rapid action to relieve suffering and save lives. And a productive conference could lead in turn to broader discussions and greater progress on the future of Iraq.
Clearly, in the long term we need to work together to find a way to end the violence and stop the hemorrhaging of lives. In the short term, America needs to respond far more effectively to the needs of the millions of refugees and displaced persons who are suffering so much from the war. Failure to act quickly and cooperatively with other nations will only result in more carnage, chaos and instability in the region.
It’s time for Congress to step up and take the reigns from the ‘decider’ and end this mess in Iraq. We’ve created one hell of a mess over there. There’s an irony that one dictator is dead, but Iraq is still in turmoil.
The Bush administration and the Republicans claim they are “compassionate conservatives,” whatever that really means. Well, someone ought to ask them why under the Bush administration, the United States has only accepted 202 Iraqi refugees to this point. 202.
That’s it.
That’s all the Iraqis fleeing the horror of what is happening in their home country the United States has allowed to enter. By comparison, Syria has taken in 449,000.
Kinda makes you look foolish when Bashir Assad is more compassionate to displaced Iraqis than the Republicans who claim they are compassionate.
Then Democrats began pushing legislation to take tens of thousands of refugees some of which are radical Muslims. They were complicit in turning Michigan's Dearborn into Dearbornistan. House Bill Would Admit More Iraqi Refugees
By Nora Boustany
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, May 10, 2007
House Democrats plan to introduce a bill this morning that would increase by at least 20,000 the number of Iraqi refugees eligible for resettlement in the United States in 2007 and 2008. It would also admit 15,000 "special immigrant status" Iraqis and their families for each of the next four years.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) will hold a news conference with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Iraq's ambassador to Washington, Samir Sumaidaie, to explain the legislation, the "Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act." They will be joined by a West Point graduate who served in Iraq and representatives of the International Rescue Committee, Amnesty International and the Church World Service.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 4 million Iraqis have been displaced by the war and now live in neighboring countries or in other parts of Iraq. An additional 50,000 to 70,000 Iraqis are displaced from their homes every month, the agency estimates.
Although current regulations allow for 7,000 Iraqi refugees to be processed for U.S. entry by year's end, only seven entered the country in February and 11 in March, compared to about 8,000 entering Sweden, officials said.
The "special immigrant status" Iraqis include interpreters and others who have worked for the U.S. government, the United Nations, contractors or U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations. Current law allows in 50 interpreters for U.S. personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"There is stark awareness of what we have done for putting tens of thousands of Iraqis at risk because they helped us," Blumenauer said.
Ken Bacon, president of Refugees International, said the bill "addresses the group to which we have a moral obligation."
"Right now, it is not a bipartisan bill and that is a shame," Bacon said yesterday.
"How we address this flood of refugees coming into the U.S. and the millions who remain in the region, who could pose a future security problem to the U.S., should be bipartisan," he added.
Blumenauer told of how poignant it was for him to help a member of the Oregon National Guard try to get his interpreter out of Iraq. The man was moving every night in an attempt to stay safe.
A day after he called in from his uncle's house, Blumenauer said, he was killed.
The refugee category would include female heads of households, members of religious communities such as Chaldo-Assyrian Christians, Jews, Sabean Mandeans, Yazidis, Bahais and other vulnerable minority groups such as gay Iraqis and Iraqis with family members in the United States.
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is an inter-agency effort involving a number of governmental and non-governmental partners, both overseas and domestically, whose mission is to resettle refugees in the United States. The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) has overall management responsibility for the USRAP and has the lead in proposing admissions numbers and processing priorities.
Within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has responsibility for interviewing refugee applicants and adjudicating applications for refugee status. Through its cooperative agreements with Resettlement Support Centers (RSC), PRM handles the intake of refugee referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), U.S. embassies, and certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as the prescreening of cases and the out-processing of individuals for travel to the United States.
Iraqi Refugee Processing
Part of the humanitarian mission of the USRAP is to provide resettlement opportunities to especially vulnerable Iraqi refugees. Since large-scale Iraqi refugee processing was announced in February 2007, DHS and DOS have worked cooperatively to increase the number of Iraqi refugees admitted to the United States as part of the worldwide commitment.
DHS and DOS have worked closely to expand processing capacity for Iraqi refugee applicants while ensuring the highest level of security. In support of these efforts, USCIS currently deploys approximately 55 officers per quarter to the Middle East to conduct refugee processing circuit rides. Since the inception of the program in 2007, 203,321 Iraqi nationals have been referred to the USRAP for resettlement to the United States. USCIS has interviewed 142,670 Iraqi refugee applicants; approved 199,202 for resettlement and, 84,902 Iraqi refugees have arrived in the United States.
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
FY 2011
*FY 2012
*FY 2013
*TOTAL
Referrals to USRAP
12,098
28,769
49,276
46,472
39,878
15,878
10,950
203,321
USCIS Interviews
4,437
23,862
29,096
27,277
26,831
20,073
11,094
142,670
Approved by USCIS
2,909
18,674
25,238
24,021
22,323
16,992
9,045
199,202
Admitted to US
1,608
13,823
18,838
18,016
9,388
12,163
11,066
84,902
*as of April 30, 2013
Process for Resettlement
In identifying Iraqi cases for referral to the USRAP, UNHCR and DOS have been prioritizing 11 categories of especially vulnerable refugees, including individuals who are affiliated with the U.S. government and religious minorities, among others.
Iraqi refugees may gain access to this program through referrals from UNHCR, a U.S. Embassy, or certain NGOs. In addition, Iraqi nationals who worked for the U.S. government, a U.S. contractor, or a U.S.-based media organization or NGO, and their family members can apply directly to the USRAP in Jordan, Egypt and Iraq without a UNHCR referral. Iraqi applicants will also be considered for resettlement if an eligible family member applies on their behalf in the United States by filing Form I-130, a Petition for Alien Relative. These latter two categories – direct application cases and Form I-130 beneficiaries – are known as Priority 2 (P-2) cases. Before 2012, the majority of cases processed by the USRAP were referrals from UNHCR. Since 2012, P-2 cases have comprised a larger share of cases.
USCIS officers are currently interviewing Iraqi refugee applicants primarily in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq. Refugee processing in Iraq focuses on certain Iraqis who are associated with the U.S. and their family members. USCIS officers have previously interviewed Iraqi refugee applicants in Syria as well, but have not been able to work in Syria to process refugee applications since March 2011.
Determining Eligibility for Refugees
Eligibility for refugee status is decided on a case-by-case basis. A USCIS officer conducts a personal interview of the applicant designed to elicit information about the applicant's admissibility and claim for refugee status. During the interview, the officer confirms the basic biographical data of the applicant; verifies that the applicant was properly given access to the USRAP; determines whether the applicant has suffered past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future persecution on the basis of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion in his or her home country; determines whether the applicant is admissible to the United States and whether he or she has been firmly resettled in another country; and assesses the credibility of the applicant.
Ensuring Security
We are committed to conducting the most rigorous screening in order to ensure that those being admitted through the refugee program are not seeking to harm the United States. In May 2007, DHS announced and implemented an Administration-coordinated, enhanced background and security check process for Iraqi refugees applying for resettlement in the United States. The security check regime, including both biographic and biometric checks, has been enhanced periodically over the last several years as new opportunities and interagency partnerships with the law enforcement and intelligence communities have been identified. These enhancements are a reflection of the commitment of DHS and other agencies to conduct the most thorough checks possible to prevent dangerous individuals from gaining access to the United States through the refugee program. No case is finally approved until results from all security checks have been received and analyzed.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Currently in the U.S.
Iraqis currently in the United States, who are not able to return to Iraq because they have been persecuted or fear that they will be persecuted on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, may apply for asylum with USCIS. Information on the process of applying for asylum in the U.S. can be found on our Web site: www.USCIS.gov/asylum.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Living Outside of Iraq
Refugees and asylum seekers should seek to comply with all legal requirements of the country in which they are located, including registration with host governments if required. In addition, all Iraqi asylum seekers located in third countries should register with the nearest UNHCR office.
UNHCR has the international mandate to provide protection and assistance to refugees and may be able to provide a protection document and possibly other assistance if needed. For a small number of extremely vulnerable individuals, this could include referral to the USRAP or another country's resettlement program. UNHCR will identify individuals for resettlement referral based on an assessment of their vulnerability at the time of registration.
In Jordan and Egypt, direct access to the USRAP is available to direct-hire employees of the U.S. Mission in Iraq and other Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government or U.S. government contractors, or for U.S.-based media organizations or NGOs and their family members. Any Iraqi, who has fled to Jordan or Egypt because of his/her association with the U.S., is encouraged to contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to receive guidance. IOM can be reached at IC@iom.int. Additional information is on the DOS/PRM web: http://www.state.gov/j/prm/index.htm
USCIS staff are currently unable to travel to Syria to interview refugee applicants. Iraqi refugee applicants currently in Syria may contact the local UNHCR office if they are in immediate danger or have concerns regarding assistance, protection, or resettlement. Iraqi refugees who decide to leave Syria should contact the RSC and UNHCR office in the country of their new location. USCIS will continue to process such cases in the new location.
Procedures for Iraqi Citizens Currently in Iraq
In Iraq, direct access to the USRAP is available to direct-hire employees of the U.S. Mission in Iraq and other Iraqis who worked for the U.S. government or U.S. government contractors, or for U.S.-based media organizations or NGOs, and their family members. Any Iraqi, who believes he/she is at risk or has experienced serious harm as a result of association with the U.S., is encouraged to contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to receive guidance. IOM can be reached in Iraq at IC@iom.int.
Iraqi nationals who supported the U.S. armed forces or Chief of Mission authority as translators or interpreters, or Iraqi nationals who were or are employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq on or after March 20, 2003, for a period of at least one year may be eligible for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) processing. The SIV program is separate and distinct from the USRAP. However, certain Iraqi SIV recipients are eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits as refugees admitted under the refugee program.
Additional information regarding the SIV program may be found on the following pages;
Syrian families wait their turn to register at the UNHCR center in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Wednesday, March. 6, 2013 (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
The Obama administration is considering resettling some refugees who have escaped war-torn Syria in the United States, a development first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday and later confirmed by the State Department.
According to the Times, the resettlement of the refugees would be “part of an international effort that could bring thousands of Syrians to American cities and towns.”
A resettlement plan under discussion in Washington and other capitals is aimed at relieving pressure on Middle Eastern countries straining to support 1.6 million refugees, as well as assisting hard-hit Syrian families.
The State Department is “ready to consider the idea,” an official from the department said, if the administration receives a formal request from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, which is the usual procedure.
The United States usually accepts about half the refugees that the U.N. agency proposes for resettlement. California has historically taken the largest share, but Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia are also popular destinations.
UN, government and non-governmental representatives are meeting this week in Geneva to discuss the resettlement options, according to the Times.
State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki was asked for details about the resettlement plan at the department’s Monday briefing.
“Well, let me first say the preferred solution for the vast majority of refugees is to return home once it is safe. We are in close contact with the UN on the need for resettlement of refugees from countries of first asylum throughout the world,” Psaki said.
“The United States accepts more UN-referred refugees than all other countries combined, and we are aware, and we would – and the UN is aware that the U.S. would consider any individuals referred to us to have been determined to be in need of resettlement. So we are prepared to respond if asked, and will encourage other resettlement countries to do the same,” she added.
While she wouldn’t specify the number of Syrian refugees the U.S. would be willing to resettle, she explained that Congress caps the number of refugees at 70,000 in total.
“So the way it would work would be if a specific country is added to the list of refugees where we would accept their refugees, which the U.S. is certainly open to – but let me just reiterate that the preferred solution for the vast majority is to return to their country once it’s safe,” Psaki said.
The UN’s refugee agency UNHCR on Tuesday said it was talking to Germany about resettling up to 10,000 Syrian refugees.
Though the refugee problem is a serious humanitarian issue – with most having fled to neighboring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey – moving some of them to the U.S. would create challenges. First, how to vet applicants from a country where so many jihadi and al Qaeda activists are present.
Secondly, would the lure of possible entry to the U.S. encourage other Syrians to leave their country, further straining their neighbors’ generosity and resources?
As the L.A. Times reports, “Two resettled Iraqis were convicted of trying to send arms to Al Qaeda from their home in Bowling Green, Ky.”
The paper describes political challenges as well:
Congress strongly resisted accepting Iraqi refugees, including interpreters who had worked with U.S. forces, after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Most lawmakers share White House caution about getting more engaged in Syria and may have little appetite for a major influx.
But Susan Rice, President Obama’s new national security advisor, and Samantha Power, Obama’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the U.N., both have been strong advocates for refugees. They may make the White House more receptive to at least a partial opening.
The L.A. Times points out that the Department of Homeland Security requires “careful vetting of refugees, with multiple interviews and background checks before they are allowed to enter the country.” That process, “under normal circumstances,” can take a year or more
Originally Posted by vector7
This video has been out for nearly a year but shows where we are headed here at home with increasing Muslim refugee populations...
The video that I have posted below shows the changing values of our government and police force.
The intrusion of Muslim and Islamic values into our once great country.
The persecution of Christians which is now happening in America.
This small group of Christian men are shown peacefully sharing the word of God. Hundreds if not thousands of Muslims surround them, cursing, throwing objects at them (cement, stones, bottles, crates, whatever they can find).
Police come by several times to speak to the Christians.
Yet, they offer them no help, and actually accuse the Christians of instigating violence and disruptive behavior. Unbelievable! You do not see any of the police stopping the Muslims or even speaking to them.
This is what’s happening to America. It is being overrun with Muslims.
Peaceful Muslims, just like the ones in this video. This is the truth. They speak lies and tell you they are peaceful. Yet in the video they are cursing, harassing, threatening and attacking the Christians.
Whatever happened to the right of free speech? Why aren’t the police protecting our rights?
This is the world we now live in. What was once “Good” is now “Bad” and what was once “Bad” is now “Good”! The world has turned inside out. Evil is increasing by the day. Demonic forces are hard at work.
This is a must see video. I know that it is long, but, you must see the truth of what is happening to America! God Bless!
Network News
By Paul Lewis
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 22, 2007
About 12,000 Iraqi refugees will be admitted into the United States over the next year as measures to speed up the process begin to take effect, government officials said yesterday.
The new target represents an increase in the number and pace of Iraqi refugees entering the country and means that 17 percent of the 70,000 refugees expected to be admitted next year will come from Iraq, officials from the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security told reporters.
An estimated 4 million Iraqis have been displaced and about 2.2 million have fled the country, mainly to Syria and Jordan, since the March 2003 U.S. invasion. Tens of thousands of those are believed to have left after they were targeted because of their work for U.S. or coalition authorities.
In February, State Department officials promised to expand their commitment to Iraqi refugees, but long delays in reviewing applications have drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, refugee groups and senior diplomats.
Officials said that of the 11,000 refugee applicants referred to the United States by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, only 1,135 have been admitted. More are scheduled to enter before the end of the month, but officials acknowledged that they will probably fall short of the State Department's target of 2,000 arrivals this fiscal year.
The Bush administration announced on Wednesday the appointment of two senior officials who will work to improve the government's response to the Iraqi refugee crisis. Immigration law expert Lori Scialabba was appointed as a senior adviser at the Homeland Security Department, and diplomat James B. Foley will become the State Department's senior coordinator for Iraqi refugee issues.
Yesterday's announcement was received with caution by some lawmakers. They said the administration has an obligation to protect many more Iraqis whose lives have been endangered because of their work for U.S. or coalition authorities.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said the administration's performance has been "slow and halting," and he promised to press ahead with legislative reforms to U.S. refugee programs.
"America has an obligation to help those who are persecuted, especially those who have the assassin's target on their back because of their association with our government," he said.
But administration officials defended their record at yesterday's briefing, saying that before February there was no program in the region to handle the unexpected flood of Iraqi refugees.
"We had to literally build programs in Syria and Jordan," said Terry Rusch, who directs the office of admissions in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. She added that the refugee program has "accelerated dramatically" now that resources are in place.
Paul Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary for policy at Homeland Security, described the government's efforts over the past six months as "heroic."
"You show me another government program that goes from a standing start, ground zero, to full on in six months," he said. Of the 4,300 Iraqi refugees interviewed by his department this fiscal year, he said, 753 have been rejected for reasons including criminal records and inconsistencies in their stories.
The officials conceded continued difficulty in processing cases in Syria, where a number of U.S. officials have been denied entry visas.
"Not only has DHS not been able to get in to do more adjudications, but we have not been able to expand our own processing staff at the pace we would normally have done because of restrictions by the government of Syria," Rusch said.
Syria has absorbed 1.5 million Iraqi refugees -- by far the most of any nation.
But since September 2006, only 208 have been admitted to the United States after being processed in that country.
According to a report, since the start of the Iraq War in 2003 roughly 30,000 Iraqi refugees have arrived in metro-Detroit. Some of the obstacles the refugees are dealing with include language barriers, driving, poor mental health, and not having the high education levels required to get employed among other serious issues.
In 2012 Michigan estimated 4,600 arrivals. March marked the tenth anniversary of the Iraq war.
Speaking to WDET Madhia Tariq, a project coordinator for the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services said 75 percent of the refugees seeking help from ACCESS are Iraqis. She says many local programs are only available to help Iraqis for a short term, but ACCESS works with refugees for longer terms or as long as necessary.
ACCESS and the Arab and Chaldean Council (ACC) both have programs to assist Iraqis who're victims of torture. A significant portion of Iraqi refugees have migrated to Macomb County, and are shaping its makeup.
Tariq said she doesn't see the large influx of Iraqi refugees decreasing soon, and expects it to continue for a few years she noted that in the future, the group could also see a significant number of Syrian refugees emigrating to southeast Michigan, who will also require assistance. If you know a refugee who's a victim of torture call ACCESS at 313.842.7010 or the ACC, 248.559.1990 to ask about their programs.
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Posted by Ann Corcoran on June 10, 2013
Syrian refugee protesters at a refugee camp in Jordan. So Homeland Security is supposed to sort through this and only bring us the good people? Photo: Khalil Mazraawi – AFP/Getty Images
We’ve been suggesting for months (here) that this day would come when the US State Department would start making noises about bringing Syrian refugees to your towns and cities.
But, as recently as a month or so ago a top State Department official told a gathering in Fort Wayne, Indiana that a population (he was answering a question on Syrians) had to have been “refugees” for five years before being considered for refugee status. It sounded bogus to me! Guess it was!
Below is the disastrous news at theLos Angeles Times. (Hat tip: Jim). Just as the Senate is considering making it easier and more lucrative for government contractors to bring in larger numbers (more easily) of refugees and political asylees through S.744, we will be inundated with Syrians. So, when you call your US Senators today about voting NO on the “comprehensive immigration reform” tell them NO Syrians either! And, if you are thinking there might be some Christians in the bunch, I assure you we won’t single those out for resettlement!
Once they open the spigot, they open it wide!
Just for your information we have already brought 12,396 Iraqis to America in the first 8 months of FY2013! Most of them are on food stamps, other public assistance and not working!
Los Angeles Timesstory recognizes the pitfalls, perpetuates some myths:
WASHINGTON — Two years into a civil war that shows no signs of ending, the Obama administration is considering resettling refugees who have fled Syria, part of an international effort that could bring thousands of Syrians to American cities and towns.
A resettlement plan under discussion in Washington and other capitals is aimed at relieving pressure on Middle Eastern countries straining to support 1.6 million refugees, as well as assisting hard-hit Syrian families.
The State Department is “ready to consider the idea,” an official from the department said, if the administration receives a formal request from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, which is the usual procedure.
The United States usually accepts about half the refugees that the U.N. agency proposes for resettlement. California has historically taken the largest share, but Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia are also popular destinations. [See which states are the top resettlement states in the USand will be asked to "welcome" Syrian Muslims---ed]
U.N. refugee officials, diplomats and nongovernmental relief groups plan to discuss possible resettlement schemes at a high-level meeting this week in Geneva. Germany already has committed to taking 5,000 people.
Remember as you read this that Lavinia Limon worked for Bill Clinton and brought the Bosnian Muslims here and then the early Iraqis. USCRI is a federal RESETTLEMENT CONTRACTOR, not a “service group.”
“It was probably inevitable that in this crisis, with these overwhelming numbers, governments would start moving in this direction,” said Lavinia Limon, chief executive officer of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a Virginia-based advocacy and service group. “But there will be resistance.”
The Obama administration supports rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, but is wary of deeper involvement in Syria. The issue is politically sensitive on several levels.
Congress strongly resisted accepting Iraqi refugees, including interpreters who had worked with U.S. forces, after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Most lawmakers share White House caution about getting more engaged in Syria and may have little appetite for a major influx.
The duo of Samantha Power and Susan Rice being involved is further evidence this will be a disaster for your town or city.
But Susan Rice, President Obama’s new national security advisor, and Samantha Power, Obama’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the U.N., both have been strong advocates for refugees. They may make the White House more receptive to at least a partial opening.
Much will depend on who (if anyone!) raises the security issues. Honestly the only really possible opposition leader on this will be Senator Rand Paul who ‘gets it’ about the security risks after the discovery of Iraqi refugee terrorists found to be living in his home town of Bowling Green, KY!
Homeland security officials require careful vetting of refugees, with multiple interviews and background checks before they are allowed to enter the country. Under normal circumstances, the screening process can take a year or longer.
U.S. officials are likely to be extra careful with Syrian refugees. As Islamic militants take a more prominent role in the rebel forces, officials worry about fighters with Al Qaeda ties trying to enter the country. Two resettled Iraqis were convicted of trying to send arms to Al Qaeda from their home in Bowling Green, Ky.
The article goes on to report that Middle Eastern officials say the resettlement won’t be worth it if we and other Western countries don’t take tens of thousands!
Then we have some, pardon the expression, Bull S*** from the State Department:
Western officials try to discourage poor foreigners who are seeking a more comfortable life or business opportunities in the West. They say resettlement is only for those who can’t go home, and seek to dispel notions that an easy life awaits.
According to a State Department publication aimed at refugees, “Cars are not provided…. Most Americans value self-reliance and hard work. They expect newcomers to find jobs as soon as possible and to take care of themselves and their families.” [67% of Iraqis are not working and 95% are on food stamps. And, as for this business about cars, we don't provide cars but YOU pay into a matching savings account that every refugee is allowed to set up and purchasing a car is one of the programs goals.---ed]
Another sensitive issue is who qualifies for resettlement. Western countries often prefer intact, well-educated families with familiar religious backgrounds. [Gee, that's news!---ed]
But experts say 80% of the Syrian refugees are women and children, many with war-related injuries or psychological problems that could hamper finding work or going to school. [These will be very costly refugees who will be bringing the men as soon as they can!---ed]
Please spread the word on this and tell your friends and family members to call their US Senators and say NO to S.744 and NO to importing Syrians!
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
"Your grandchildren will live under communism."
“You Americans are so gullible.
No, you won’t accept To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ."
We’ll so weaken your To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. like overripe fruit into our hands."
U.S. Will Speed Entry Of Refugees From Iraq
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Originally Posted by vector7
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