massfolkarts.org
Posted by Ann Corcoran on August 1, 2016
The US Refugee Admissions Program was created 36 years ago by Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and was signed into law by Jimmy Carter in 1980. It has evolved in secrecy in towns that have been receiving third world refugees for decades and where citizens only begin to hear about it when something like the alleged assault by a newly arrived Syrian Muslim refugee in a public swimming pool forces the program into the daylight.
Former State Rep. Kevin Murphy (D) runs the city of Lowell and will get reports from the federal resettlement contractor “now and then.” Did Murphy ever get an invite to “stakeholders” meeting? Photo:http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_25460940/kevin-murphy-named-new-lowell-city-manager-by
Here is the latest from reporter Amelia Pak-Harvey in Lowell, Mass. Pak-Harvey has done some great reporting on the arrest of the Syrian (see our earlier post), however, clearly here she is parroting the talking points of the contractor (International Institute of New England an USCRI subcontractor) which, as a federal contractor, has a financial interest in bringing more Syrians and other refugees to Lowell.
LOL! Refugee program is “complicated!” Yes, and it is that way for a reason—they don’t want anyone to understand how it works!
Here is the latest from the Lowell Sun:
LOWELL — Understanding the refugee resettlement process requires a handful of acronyms — USCIS, ORR, ORI, and the local International Institute of New England, or IINE.
It’s a process even federal and local officials admit is complex, one that often gives cities like Lowell less than a month’s notice to prepare for the arrival of refugees.
It’s also one that seems to usher in much confusion and misinformation — in March, rumors abounded that an influx of Syrians would be pouring into Lowell. Since the beginning of the federal fiscal year in October, the city has only received 18.
But after a 22-year-old Syrian refugee was charged with indecent assault and battery this month, city officials are hoping to have more contact with IINE-Lowell on resettlement. ...
https://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/lowell-massachusetts-alleged-sexual-assault-by-syrian-refugee-puts-refugee-program-in-the-spotlight/
They are going to give the city manager reports “now and then!”
Pak-Harvey continues:
“I think it was agreed that maybe it’d be good in the future to have more communication between the city side and the International Institute,” said City Manager Kevin Murphy, who met with the nonprofit. “They agreed, and they’re going to give me reports every now and then and we’ll sit down and discuss issues more often, so that we have a good give-and-take between the two.”
Then here is one of the most important pieces of information in this story for those of you concerned with refugee resettlement where you live:
In Lowell, the International Institute already meets quarterly with local stakeholders — including school and police officials — for updates on the latest numbers.
If you live in a refugee-receiving town, g0 to your local “stakeholders” meetings.
As a taxpayer, you are a stakeholder! I was shocked in one town I visited recently where the elected officials seemed to not even know that such meetings were occurring! Does Kevin Murphy know? Does Murphy know that the International Institute has prepared a document for the US State Department (an R & P Abstract) that lays out how many refugees will be dropped in Lowell in FY2017 and what amenities Lowell is offering the refugees?
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