Governors all across the country are refusing to take Syrian refugees

[jsteele]

"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

What Christie said is "how and who will care for them" Notice how Obama doesn't address that at all.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

What Christie said is "how and who will care for them" Notice how Obama doesn't address that at all.

What if they have family here? What if there are people prepared to care for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much misinformation in addition to bigotry and racism

1) The Tsarnaev brothers were not refugees, they were the children of two asylees. They were home grown.

2) "vetting process" for refugees exists, and is very effective, none of the 750k refugees admitted since 9/11 has committed a terror attack

3) our immigration process is fee based. Uscis gets very little appropriated money and it's basically all for the everify system. They will not get a free or immediate ride to citizenship

Apart from all that, immigrants are the hardest working population in America. These people won't be on the government dime, that would be lazy Americans who don't want to work a menial job.

All of these "valid" reasons for wanting to keep thsee refugees out are just either blatant ignorance or racism people don't want to admit to.


"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Really? Because Obama's people beg to differ:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/17/senior-obama-officials-have-warned-of-challenges-in-screening-refugees-from-syria/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland governor hogan just came out stating no Syria refugees.

So happy about this!

Everyone else that wants them, take them in your homes. I am sure some people would have loved to take in the Boston Marathon killers when they were refugees, right?

I'll do it as soon as conservatives start signing up for the wars they're calling for and paying higher taxes so we don't add another trillion of debt.

They would never do it if it meant their children would be drafted....hypocrites at their finest. They want it all, they just don't want to have to do any of the work or make a commitment.

Conservative here. My son recently enlisted.

Most of the enlisted men and women I know are Conservative.

Ditto. The overwhelmingly majority are Coservative. And I'm not a Conservative but have made this observation.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

What Christie said is "how and who will care for them" Notice how Obama doesn't address that at all.

What if they have family here? What if there are people prepared to care for them?

Then that's fine. And given Christie's statement, I'm sure that's fine with him too. But no to bringing in five year olds, and THEN their family members from Syria.

Again, Obama did not address that. Instead he chose to ignore it. And you did too.

[Anonymous]

In case anyone cares about facts, from www.refugees.org

How Do Refugees Come to America?
Less than 80,000 refugees participated in the U.S. Resettlement Program (USRP) last year. It is a lengthy, difficult process. Click the links below to view the steps a refugee must take to resettle in the United States:

Becoming a Refugee
Seeking Admission to the USRP
Refugee Resettlement in the United States
Becoming a Contributing Member of the Community
1. Becoming a Refugee

Fleeing
Refugees flee their homes, businesses, farms, and communities in order to escape war and persecution. Often refugees flees to save their or their families' lives. They rarely know how long it will be before it is safe to return home and they often have no time to plan the departure or pack appropriately. Family records, professional documents, diplomas, photographs, and other precious items are often left behind.

Seeking Legal Refugee Status
In order to receive official refugee status in a country of asylum, an individual has to have left his or her home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, social group affiliation, or political opinion. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is usually responsible for awarding legal refugee status. In addition, UNHCR often offers refugees protection, assistance, and alternative legal and travel documents.

Seeking Resettlement
UNHCR refers only about 1 percent of all refugees for resettlement in a third country. Only when all efforts to either help refugees return home or settle permanently in the country of asylum have failed does third country resettlement become the option of last resort. The following countries have resettlement programs: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Other countries accept individual refugees on an ad hoc basis. Family ties, trade skills, professional abilities, language facility, and various other factors are considered by UNHCR when matching a refugee with a resettlement country.

2. Seeking Admission to the U.S. Resettlement Program (USRP)

Referral to the USRP
Only refugees who have been referred by UNHCR or by the U.S. embassy in the country of asylum are eligible for the USRP. Usually, a family is referred together as a single group. The Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) oversees this program. The State Department develops application criteria, refugee admission ceilings, and presents eligible cases to a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for adjudication. The State Department's Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) describes the process of application for admission to the United States as a refugee in 9 FAM Part IV Appendix O.

Adjudication
Refugees who meet the criteria for application to the USRP are interviewed by a USCIS officer who travels to the country of asylum. The U.S. Department of State contracts resettlement and/or nongovernmental organizations to assist refugees who may need help preparing their resettlement application forms. The application typically consists of USCIS Form I-590, family tree, and biographical information. The USCIS officer decides whether the applicant is a refugee as defined under U.S. law. An individual's designation as a refugee by UNHCR does not guarantee admission to the USRP.

Approval
Refugees whose applications for U.S. resettlement receive USCIS approval are matched with an American resettlement organization that will facilitate their resettlement to the United States. Most of these nonprofit organizations rely on professional and volunteer staff to assist refugees in the resettlement process. If rejected, the applicant has thirty days to file a motion to reconsider the denial with the nearest USCIS district office. Generally, a motion is considered only if it contains new information not available at the original interview.

3. Refugee Resettlement in the United States

Being Matched with an American Resettlement Organization
Detailed information on all refugees approved for resettlement in the United States is sent to the Refugee Data Center (RDC) in New York. RDC matches refugees with one of eleven voluntary agencies that provide reception and placement services for refugees coming to the United States.

Pre-travel Activities
In order to ensure that a refugee understands that everyone living in America is expected to be self-sufficient and that no refugee should be an undue burden to American society, he or she must complete several additional steps before traveling to the United States. These activities are undertaken concurrently and can take from 2 months to 2 years to complete:

Assurance process: The American resettlement organization must "assure" the Department of State that it is prepared to receive each matched refugee. This "assurance" is a written guarantee that various basic services will be provided to the refugee and any accompanying family members in the initial resettlement phase. At this time, the resettlement organization determines where in the United States the refugee will be resettled based on the availability of housing, employment, needed services, readiness of host community, and a variety of other factors. However, if a refugee has a relative in the United States, every effort is made to resettle the refugee near that relative. Refugees do not have to have U.S. sponsors to be resettled in the United States.
Medical clearance: Prior to coming to the United States, all refugees are medically screened by a health care professional working for the U.S. government. The screening identifies medical conditions that require follow-up or constitute a public health concern. A few serious conditions may render a refugee ineligible for entry into the United States; however, a waiver may be available. After being "medically cleared," a refugee must enter the United States within one year.
Security clearance: All refugees must undergo a security clearance procedure prior to coming to the United States. The level of clearance needed depends on the refugee's country of origin. In most cases, the refugee's name is checked against the FBI's database of known terrorists and undesirables, as well as the State Department's database of people who have been denied visas to enter the United States in the past.
Cultural orientation: All refugees receive some form of cultural orientation prior to coming to the United States. Most programs emphasize the importance of self-sufficiency in American society, as well as what to expect in the initial resettlement phase. Classes range in length from three hours to several days.
Travel to the United States
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) arranges air travel for most U.S.-bound refugees. Before a refugee leaves the country of asylum, he or she signs a promissory note and agrees to repay the U.S. government for travel costs (scroll down or click the link for more information about refugee travel loans). Upon receiving necessary travel details from IOM, the American resettlement organization makes arrangements for the refugee's arrival.

United States Arrival and Reception
After meeting, welcoming, and assisting the refugee at the airport, the resettlement organization begins the process of helping the refugee become settled in his or her new community.

First Steps in U.S. Resettlement
Most newly arrived refugees desperately want a permanent home. Resettlement organizations work hard to find housing for each refugee that is safe, sanitary, of a sufficient size, affordable, and accessible to public transportation. The American resettlement organization that assured a refugee's case is responsible for assisting the refugee in the initial resettlement phase. Each resettlement organization provides a variety of services to promote early self-sufficiency and cultural adjustment. The following activities take place within the first thirty days of arrival:

Application for a Social Security number: Refugees need social security numbers in order to seek employment or enroll their children in school. All refugees register with the Social Security Administration as soon as possible.
School registration: All refugee children are enrolled in school upon arrival in the United States.
Medical evaluation: Even though refugees are medically screened prior to entering the United States, each is examined again by medical professionals in their new communities. At this time, refugees are familiarized with their local health care system. They also receive needed inoculations and other necessary treatments.
English language training: Refugees often do not speak any English when they arrive. Learning English is an essential step to becoming self-sufficient. Voluntary agencies often provide English Language Training (ELT) courses or help refugees find available classes in their new community.
4. Becoming a Contributing Member of the Community

Finding Employment
Refugees enter the United States with authorization to work. The U.S. government expects a working-age refugee to find a job within six months of arrival. Resettlement organizations often have employment specialists who help refugees with their job search. Many states have a designated agency that receives state funds to help refugees find work. This function is usually coordinated by the State Refugee Coordinator.

Gaining Permanent Residency
Refugees can apply for Permanent Resident Alien (PRA) status (commonly known as a “green card”) after they have been in the United States for one year.

Becoming a Citizen
Refugees can apply for U.S. citizenship after residing in the United States for five years. Many resettlement organizations have citizenship programs that assist, guide, and encourage refugees through the naturalization process.

Building a New Life
Refugees spend many years overcoming past trauma, locating family members, adjusting to American culture, building careers, raising families, finding their first dream home, and creating a new life for themselves in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could that be worse than what is happening now?

Much worse. They could all say "no."

Even if it's unenforceable, the message is coming across.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/17/senior-obama-officials-have-warned-of-challenges-in-screening-refugees-from-syria/

You may not have read past the headline of that article, but it said some interesting things:

Much of the attention has been focused on just what is the process for accepting refugees. Run primarily by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, it is an exhaustive deep dive through the refugees’ past that generally takes 18 to 24 months and costs $1.1 billion a year, according to documents and current and former U.S. officials.
...
Of the more than 2,100 Syrian refugees accepted by the United States since 2012, most of them in the past year, half are children, a quarter are adults over 60 and only 2 percent are young males at what officials called "combat age."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saudia Arabia, UAE etc. have not taken a SINGLE refugee?

Yup, we are suckers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much misinformation in addition to bigotry and racism

1) The Tsarnaev brothers were not refugees, they were the children of two asylees. They were home grown.

2) "vetting process" for refugees exists, and is very effective, none of the 750k refugees admitted since 9/11 has committed a terror attack

3) our immigration process is fee based. Uscis gets very little appropriated money and it's basically all for the everify system. They will not get a free or immediate ride to citizenship

Apart from all that, immigrants are the hardest working population in America. These people won't be on the government dime, that would be lazy Americans who don't want to work a menial job.

All of these "valid" reasons for wanting to keep thsee refugees out are just either blatant ignorance or racism people don't want to admit to.


"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Really? Because Obama's people beg to differ:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/17/senior-obama-officials-have-warned-of-challenges-in-screening-refugees-from-syria/

Sounds to me like a bunch of political appointees who don't work at uscis and have no experience with screening refugees, something we have been doing very effectively for decades. But sure listen to a talking point instead of a fact

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/17/senior-obama-officials-have-warned-of-challenges-in-screening-refugees-from-syria/

You may not have read past the headline of that article, but it said some interesting things:

Much of the attention has been focused on just what is the process for accepting refugees. Run primarily by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, it is an exhaustive deep dive through the refugees’ past that generally takes 18 to 24 months and costs $1.1 billion a year, according to documents and current and former U.S. officials.
...
Of the more than 2,100 Syrian refugees accepted by the United States since 2012, most of them in the past year, half are children, a quarter are adults over 60 and only 2 percent are young males at what officials called "combat age."

Then why doesn't Obama flat out say we will only take kids and old people? I don't know of anyone who is against those two groups.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

This statement from our president does not surprise me.
It shows he is desperate. He knows his “strategy” is not working.
It shows that he is out of touch with reality.
I have never been a fan of his - with this crisis he is showing his true colors.
His attitude is shameful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK fine. we decide we can't take in refugees because we can't adequately screen them.

But I don't want to hear any more about us being a "Christina nation". Rejecting refugees is *not* what Jesus would do.

We have to decide to be OK with that. That we are going to be selfish, self interested, preemptively defend ourselves.... not Christlike.

Don't be hypocrites. Be honest. We are not truly Christian. We are selectively Christian. Cafeteria Christian.

I think if they would limit it to women/children/parents and old people many more Americans would feel differently.

Or if they limited to the persecuted religious minorities experiencing genocide (in this case mostly Christians, but not all) like the US did when we took in all those Bosnian Muslim refuges, most people would feel differently.

The problem with the Syrian refuges is the vast majority of them are childless young men in the most at risk demographic. Why aren't they fighting for their country? Where are the fleeing families?

Half of them are children. There are many families.

That's not what Germany is seeing.

And where are the statistics? I don't see any that say that the majority of refugees are single men. I've seen several that state that half are children, this one breaks down the demographics by gender/age: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php

Instead of freaking out over an isolated incident and damning over 2 million refugees, the vast majority who are just seeking asylum, is stupid. It's thinly veiled nationalism/racism.

Then again, we have a history of hating Irish refugees, European refugees.... we refused to allow Jewish refugees in after the Holocaust.... maybe we should give back that gift from France that is sitting in New York's harbor, hm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:"At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three year old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

-- President Obama talking about the Republican Presidential candidates.

This statement from our president does not surprise me.
It shows he is desperate. He knows his “strategy” is not working.
It shows that he is out of touch with reality.
I have never been a fan of his - with this crisis he is showing his true colors.
His attitude is shameful.

He's a slimy politician thru and thru. It's about political rhetoric, not solutions. He's the JV, that's for sure.