Lobbying arm for refugee resettlement contractors
wants US to take 200,000 refugees in FY2017, by Ann Corcoran, 8/2/16.
We have written
often about the consortium of members of the refugee resettlement industry
calling themselves the Refugee Council USA (RCUSA). Go
here for our
archive on the group which includes the nine major federal resettlement
contractors.
Thanks to
reader Joanne for sending this
recent statement from their Washington, DC office. They are, needless to say, thrilled that
the Obama Administration is going to host a big
pow-wow on refugees at the UN in September. (I
hope Trump’s people are getting ready for this huge propaganda stunt!)
Melanie Nezer
of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (one of nine federal contractors) is the present
chair of RCUSA. She says 200,000 is the magic number for 2017.
As you read
through this statement, remember that, in recent years, 70,000 was the target
number for the refugees to be admitted to the US (from all countries). In
FY2016, Obama is shooting for 85,000 and then he signaled he wanted 100,000 in
FY2017 (begins October 1, 2016). (Yes, he has one more shot at dictating
how many we take.)
If re-elected
will Speaker Paul Ryan do a thing to stop the funding for this huge new number?
Based on recent statements and last year’s actions, that is doubtful!
The Refugee Council
USA is urging Obama to go for 200,000 (from all countries) for FY2017!
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), a coalition of 20
U.S.-based non-governmental organizations dedicated to refugee protection,
welcome, and excellence in the U.S. refugee resettlement program, commends the
Obama Administration for coordinating the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees that will
take place on September 20, 2016.
The Leaders’
Summit, as well as the UN General Assembly Summit on Large Movements of
Migrants and Refugees on September 19th, are both critical opportunities for
the U.S. and other members of the global community to show collective
leadership by taking concrete steps to address the tremendous refugee protection
needs that exist around the world, including right here in the Americas. This leadership
must be demonstrated through concrete new commitments to expand and strengthen
humanitarian assistance to refugees and the host countries carrying a
disproportionate responsibility for them. But leadership also means
demonstrating a resounding rejection of xenophobic and racist rhetoric that
increasingly dominates global discourse around refugees today.
Yikes! So the US won’t
be embarrassed in September, they want Obama to propose that 200,000 refugees
be admitted to US beginning in October! And, they want more $$$ for
“services.”
The U.S. should commit to provide protection
to 200,000 refugees through admission to the United States in FY17 through a
combination of traditional refugee resettlement and additional legal, proven
and secure approaches. At least 140,000 of these refugees should be resettled through the
existing U.S. refugee resettlement program, with the necessary support for
receiving and integrating them in American communities. To do any less would
represent a U.S. commitment that falls short of the call made by the White
House for a collective doubling of resettlement commitments in advance of the
Summits.
· The United States
should also ensure that there is a commensurate increase in the social services
and integration support [read TAXPAYER dollars!—ed] that are available to
refugees as they start their new lives in this country.
· In addition to
higher numbers, the U.S. should also demonstrate a commitment to a more
equitable distribution of resettlement opportunities, ensuring that refugees in
desperate circumstances everywhere have a chance of accessing this life-saving
program.
https://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/lobbying-arm-for-refugee-resettlement-contractors-wants-us-to-take-200000-refugees-in-fy2017/
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