Lenny Curry on Syrian Refugees

[Cheshire Cat]

It's important to remember the the United States had already decided to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees before the attacks in Paris and none of the governors or mayors now making a stink about them coming to the U.S. before the Paris attack had shared any concerns about the effort.  The refugee policy which is strong was also in place before the Paris event.  So as others have already stated, this is political posturing, nothing more and I find it shameful because it is a political game being played on the backs of suffering people.

[spuwho]

I helped settle some CIA backed rebels that came in under refugee status. State Department wents nuts over it and tried to block it and failed. To provide cover they were flown in and spread out over several cities at the same time the day we started Desert Storm.

I still remember sitting down with them and our translator and the rebel leader was complaining about the house we had provided. So he called his CIA contact in DC and belly ached. Didnt change much to be honest.

We provided food and housing and support for them until they could get jobs. They all expressed the desire to get their families to the US because their government pronounced them dead when the CIA recruited them.

I ran into one of the rebels years later as he was driving my cab. He freaked when I recognized him as he thought I was an agent from his former country. When I explained to him that I was there to get him at the airport, then he chilled out.

We had a good chat about his effort to get his family here and what was involved. He had moved from the house we had provided and was living with some other ex-pats all trying to get their families to the US.

Issues of religion or beliefs was never an issue. They even came to our Christian church for a little while while they acclimated to American life. The sight of them pulling out prayer blankets after church and praying towards Mecca was interesting to say the least.

All that to say, we shouldnt place an outright ban, but we should perform some level of screening. This was normal at Ellis Island in that era and should be today.

[Jumpinjack]

^ Thank you for this post. That is a very interesting story.

[Tacachale]

Of course we should do screening. We already do pretty rigorous screening, and I doubt anyone would have a problem doing a bit more if only to assuage fear. But we shouldn't be trying to back out of supporting people in need, especially when we're actively involved in the war that's caused the refugee crisis.

[The_Choose_1]

Of course we should do screening. We already do pretty rigorous screening, and I doubt anyone would have a problem doing a bit more if only to assuage fear. But we shouldn't be trying to back out of supporting people in need, especially when we're actively involved in the war that's caused the refugee crisis.

But we were hoping that Syria leader would have left the country or been killed. So all these Refugees wouldn't have had to leave a land they call home. But since Russia wants the Syria leader to stay and ISIS is still in Syria even with the bombs being dropped. It's getting to look like World War III is taking shape in the middle east. And Mayor Curry just be the Mayor Of a not so Bold City of the South. Can you handle that?

[finehoe]

... we should perform some level of screening. This was normal at Ellis Island in that era and should be today.

I guess nobody read my earlier post.

"The refugee screening process is multi-layered and is very difficult to get through. Most people languish in temporary camps for months to years while their story is evaluated and checked.

First, you do not get to choose what country you might be resettled into. If you already have family (legal) in a country, that makes it more likely that you will go there to be with family, but other than that it is random. So, you can not simply walk into a refugee camp, show a document, and say, I want to go to America. Instead, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees) works with the local authorities to try to take care of basic needs. Once the person/family is registered to receive basic necessities, they can be processed for resettlement. Many people are not interested in resettlement as they hope to return to their country and are hoping that the turmoil they fled will be resolved soon. In fact, most refugees in refugee events never resettle to a third country. Those that do want to resettle have to go through an extensive process.

Resettlement in the U.S. is a long process and takes many steps. The Refugee Admissions Program is jointly administered by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) in the Department of State, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and offices within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within DHS conducts refugee interviews and determines individual eligibility for refugee status in the United States.

We evaluate refugees on a tiered system with three levels of priority.

First Priority are people who have suffered compelling persecution or for whom no other durable solution exists. These individuals are referred to the United States by UNHCR, or they are identified by the U.S. embassy or a non-governmental organization (NGO).

Second priority are groups of "special concern" to the United States. The Department of State determines these groups, with input from USCIS, UNHCR, and designated NGOs. At present, we prioritize certain persons from the former Soviet Union, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Iran, Burma, and Bhutan.

Third priority are relatives of refugees (parents, spouses, and unmarried children under 21) who are already settled in the United States may be admitted as refugees. The U.S.-based relative must file an Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) and must be processed by DHS.

Before being allowed to come to the United States, each refugee must undergo an extensive interviewing, screening, and security clearance process conducted by Regional Refugee Coordinators and overseas Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs). Individuals generally must not already be firmly resettled (a legal term of art that would be a separate article). Just because one falls into the three priorities above does not guarantee admission to the United States.

The Immigration laws require that the individuals prove that they have a "well-founded fear," (another legal term which would be a book.) This fear must be proved regardless of the person's country, circumstance, or classification in a priority category. There are multiple interviews and people are challenged on discrepancies. I had a client who was not telling the truth on her age and the agency challenged her on it. Refugees are not simply admitted because they have a well founded fear. They still must show that they are not subject to exclusion under Section 212(a) of the INA. These grounds include serious health matters, moral or criminal matters, as well as security issues. In addition, they can be excluded for such things as polygamy, misrepresentation of facts on visa applications, smuggling, or previous deportations. Under some circumstances, the person may be eligible to have the ground waived.

At this point, a refugee can be conditionally accepted for resettlement. Then, the RSC sends a request for assurance of placement to the United States, and the Refugee Processing Center (RPC) works with private voluntary agencies (VOLAG) to determine where the refugee will live. If the refugee does have family in the U.S., efforts will be made to resettle close to that family.

Every person accepted as a refugee for planned admission to the United States is conditional upon passing a medical examination and passing all security checks. Frankly, there is more screening of refugees than ever happens to get on an airplane. Of course, yes, no system can be 100% foolproof. But if that is your standard, then you better shut down the entire airline industry, close the borders, and stop all international commerce and shipping. Every one of those has been the source of entry of people and are much easier ways to gain access to the U.S. Only upon passing all of these checks (which involve basically every agency of the government involved in terrorist identification) can the person actually be approved to travel.

Before departing, refugees sign a promissory note to repay the United States for their travel costs. This travel loan is an interest-free loan that refugees begin to pay back six months after arriving in the country.

Once the VOLAG is notified of the travel plans, it must arrange for the reception of refugees at the airport and transportation to their housing at their final destination.
This process from start to finish averages 18 to 24 months, but I have seen it take years."

[spuwho]

I also helped bring in refugees from Vietnam as well, but under different circumstances.

Their status was verified by the fact they were children (and grandchildren) of now gone US troops that once served there. (Yes Finehoe I am familiar with the checklist you posted).

They were rejected from attending Viet govt. schools and had problems getting jobs due to their mixed heritage. So we helped resettle Afro-Viets, Cauca-Viets, some with red hair and freckles. Somehow one came through with a case of TB, which we got to a doctor right away. Another one was secretly pregnant and didnt want to say to avoid rejection, but we knew right away she was of child.

We took them all down to Little Vietnam in Chicago so they could find familiar food and network with other Viets.

They made it known that it was not in their culture to accept a handout. So a month after we got them into their house, they threw a huge Viet style party for us to thank you for our help. It was the best Viet food I have ever had and it was a wonderful time.

I later ran into the kids who were just toddlers when they arrived and they were scholars at the local schools now and were very adept at helping their parents and grandparents with modern America.

No one here cared abound the mixed heritage. We are used to it.

Back to Syria....

We recently sold a car to a Syrian family who escaped and flew to the US via Jordan before the ISIS threat became big. More around the time of the Aleppo uprisngs.

They shared the horrors they were dealing with and how your life was in danger if you strayed to far beyond your town due to the lack of rule. You werent sure if you faced Pro Assad authority or a militia or the FSA.

The sister started crying telling her stories and how school was becoming impossible for any kids regardless of background.

I dont think these people wanted to leave, but had to, to survive. If your life is at risk going to the local market, the schools keep closing, and going to work is an exercise in possible death, who blames them for leaving?

However, just dumping them on US soil without some sort of support system and people willing to help with the transition by providing housing and food,  will just ostracize them and foster ill will.

But make no mistakes, in some of those families we settled, there were some bad apples. One Viet ended up in prostitution and another got wrapped up in drugs.

The biggest stumbling block we had with middle eastern cultures was pride. Some (but not all) found it humiliating to have to accept so much charity just to get by. It was one of the transition challenges we faced.

[Cheshire Cat]

I read it Fine and saved it.  Excellent post.