TEXAS- “Not in our state”.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) is the first governor in the United States to halt refugee resettlement in his state, a move that comes as the state has been inundated over the last three decades with mass immigration.
At the Federal level, and for fiscal year 2020, President Trump will continue cutting refugee admissions by reducing former President Barack Obama’s refugee inflow by at least 80 percent.
This reduction would mean a maximum of 18,000 refugees can be resettled in the U.S. between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020. This is merely a numerical limit and not a goal that federal officials are supposed to reach.
In a letter to the Trump administration, Abbott said Texas had taken more refugees than any other state in the U.S., noting that state taxpayers and officials have “been left by Congress to deal with disproportionate migration issues…”
Governor Abbott wrote in his letter:
“Texas is one of the most welcoming states for refugees seeking to escape dangers abroad. since FY2010, more refugees have been received in Texas than in any other state.
In fact, over that decade, roughly 10% of all refugees resettled in the United States have been placed in Texas. Even today, the process of resettling continues for many of these refugees.”
In addition to accepting refugees all these years, Texas has been left by Congress to deal with disproportionate migration issues resulting from a broken federal immigration system.
In May 2019, for example, around 100,000 migrants were apprehended crossing this state’s southern border.
In June 2019, individuals from 52 different countries were apprehended here.
And in FY2018, the apprehensions included citizens from disparate countries like China, Iran, Kenya, Russia, and Tonga. Texas continues to have to deal with the consequences of an immigration system that Congress has failed to fix.
Currently, the state and non-profit organizations have a responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are already here, including refugees, migrants, and the homeless — indeed, all Texans.
As a result, Texas cannot consent to initial refugee resettlement for FY2020. This decision does not deny any refugee access to the United States. Nor does it preclude a refugee from later coming to Texas after initially settling in another state.
Texas has carried more than its share in assisting the refugee resettlement process and appreciates that other states are available to help with these efforts.”
Since 2005, more than 81,600 refugees have been resettled in the state of Texas — a level of refugees that outpaces the entire population of Portland, Maine. The majority of those refugees have been resettled in the state’s major cities like Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Fort Worth.
Refugees resettled in Texas over the last 15 years have mostly arrived from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Iraq, and Iran. For example, nearly 15,000 refugees, alone, have arrived in Texas from Iraq. Another nearly 4,000 have arrived from Iran.
Despite previous opposition to the refugee resettlement program by Republicans, Abbott is the only Republican governor to halt the refugee flow to his state with 19 other Republican governors asking the Trump administration to continue resettling refugees in their communities.
An exclusive memo obtained by Breitbart News reveals how Republican governors like Gov. Hutchinson of Arkansas are defending their decision to admit refugees by claiming that the state will have more involvement in the process than ever.
Hutchinson has also suggested that refugees to Arkansas will likely be nationals who have cooperated with the U.S. military and are thus being persecuted for that reason. Those nationals, though, primarily arrived through the various Special Immigrant Visa categories and not through the refugee resettlement program.
In a very interesting twist US citizens likely don’t know about; refugee contractors have a vested interest in making sure as many refugees are resettled across the U.S. as possible because their annual federally funded budgets are contingent on the number of refugees they resettle. Those refugee contractors include:
Church World Service (CWS), Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), International Rescue Committee (IRC), U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and World Relief Corporation (WR).
Refugee resettlement costs American taxpayers nearly $9 billion every five years, according to the latest research. Over the course of five years, an estimated 16 percent of all refugees admitted will need housing assistance paid for by taxpayers.
Of course, US Representative and known anti-Semite with anti-American bias Ilhan Omar (D. MN) had plenty to say in response to Governor Abbott’s letter and position.
Omar has been vocal on the issue since Beltrami County, Minn., voted earlier this week to ban refugee resettlement, with some native Minnesotans citing rising crime rates and others claiming a lack of resources in the budget.
Her response via Twitter seemed less deep-seated than most of her vitriol, however:
“With silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.’”
These are the words that welcomed me and millions of refugees.
I still believe in those values.
We shall overcome”
I was expecting more “fire and brimstone” from the Muslim representative, who has commonly penned scathing remarks and given out hateful rhetoric in public speaking engagements. I’m a little disappointed.
In the meantime, you’ve got Nancy Pelosi – who compared killing Soleimani to assassinating the Vice President of America.
We could talk for hours about Nancy Pelosi and her idiocy, lack of common sense, and how dangerous she is for America. But instead, I’ll let her actions speak for themselves.
For one thing, the game of impeachment is still crawling along at a snail’s pace, with Speaker Pelosi taking her sweet time giving any type of evidence for trial in the Senate (it’s widely speculated that the delay is due to her not actually having any evidence).
She announced today that she will “take steps next week” to send the impeachment articles.
She wrote in a letter to other members of the House and Senate:
“I have asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler to be prepared to bring to the Floor next week a resolution to appoint managers and transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate. I will be consulting with you at our Tuesday House Democratic Caucus meeting on how we proceed further.”
In clearer words:
“I have asked Nadler to get ready to get a resolution ready to seek managers to be appointed who can then bring the articles to the Senate. Maybe. Whatever. We’ll talk about it Tuesday in the House and get back to the Senate later.”
Among other stupid things she has announced in recent times, she now is saying that the President taking out a dangerous and evil Iranian terrorist is similar to the hypothetical assassination of Vice President of the United States.
Pelosi, with the help of her “squad” of liberal nitwits and other House democrats, recently reacted to their “outrage” of General Qasem Soleimani’s elimination by passing an order limiting President Trump’s powers if we were to enter into a war with Iran.
The airstrike which ended Soleimani’s threat was described by the Speaker as “provocative and disproportionate.”
Immediately following the airstrike, Pelosi took to Twitter and said:
“Closely monitoring the situation following bombings targeting U.S. troops in Iraq. We must ensure the safety of our servicemembers, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence. America & world cannot afford war.”
As a reminder, Soleimani was responsible for over 600 American deaths and the injuries of thousands more, as well as the death of unknown number of Iraqi citizens. When confirming his death, the Pentagon released a statement saying:
“General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”
The Pentagon continued:
“This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.”
To reiterate her sentiments, during a press conference yesterday Pelosi said:
“The argument would be made that, putting the shoe on the other foot, if the United States had a high level — maybe the second most important person in the country — assassinated wherever, the United States might consider that an assault on our country.”
After comparing Vice President Pence to a terrorist, the Speaker also introduced a War Powers Resolution, intending to limit President Trump’s powers in the event of a United States war against Iran.
Taking the War Powers Resolution to the House, she attempted to assure that the President’s ability to respond to threats from Iran with military force would be severely limited.
The sheer idiocy of such a suggestion is almost as frustrating as the appearance of weakness with which they have bathed out nation.
Voting in this manner, ripping constitutional power out of our President’s hands, and placing known terrorists interests above American troops and citizens sends a message to terrorists that they’re welcome to attack our people, on our soil or off, and that they’ll be met with no retaliation.
Pelosi and the like would prefer our President to be begging Congress to allow him to act while terrorists murder our citizens.
Not that Pelosi cares in the least, but the resolution was completely unconstitutional and, as such, non-binding. The resolution is a concurrent, meaning it is “generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee.”
This means that even if the Senate joins the lunacy of the House and passes it there, it will never be sent to the President to sign or veto, and therefore is null. Hence, there is no law, no meaning behind the resolution.
Pelosi knew, however, that there was no way the Senate would pass that kind of resolution at a time like this against an enemy like this.
Which is why she presented it the way she did.
Huffington post reporter Matt Fuller said on Twitter:
“Interestingly, the House resolution constraining Trump’s war powers is a concurrent resolution, not a joint resolution, meaning it won’t carry the force of law. It’s more like a press release. Basically, it’s an admission that this is not getting GOP support in the Senate.”
Interestingly, the House resolution constraining Trump's war powers is a concurrent resolution, not a joint resolution, meaning it won't carry the force of law. It's more like a press release.
Basically, it's an admission that this is not getting GOP support in the Senate.
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) January 8, 2020
The spokesperson for House republican leader Kevin McCarthy, Mark Bedner, said:
“House Democrats would rather take a show vote for their socialist base than stand against the world’s largest state sponsor of terror.”
In Pelosi’s own words:
“This is a statement by the Congress of the United States. I will not have that statement diminished by whether the president will veto it or not.”
Oh you have sent several statements to American citizens recently, Nancy.
California Representative Tom McClintock spoke out against Pelosi’s resolution, which he said was “not only unconstitutional, but disgraceful” and was being passed at a “perilous moment.”
The following is a statement released by McClintock about the War Powers Resolution, with reference to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMP). The AUMP was Congress’ response to 9/11 and it authorized the President to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against those responsible for the tragedy on American soil.
“Our Constitution is clear: only Congress can start a war, but only the President can wage it. CONGRESS started this war with the AUMF in 2002, and it remains in effect today. The Founders didn’t want one individual getting us into a war — but once in, they didn’t want 535 squabbling prima donnas second-guessing every decision on the battlefield.”
“President Trump needed no other reason to order the attack that killed [Iranian terrorist General Qasem] Soleimani IN IRAQ beyond the simple fact that he was acting as an enemy combatant against U.S. forces in a war zone in which the Congress had authorized the President to take military action.”
“I happen to believe the AUMF was a colossal mistake. This resolution doesn’t correct that mistake. It compounds it – by deliberately undermining the position of the United States Government and the armed forces WE sent to Iraq – at a perilous moment – which makes it not only unconstitutional, but disgraceful.”
The show vote resolution was passed Thursday and was mostly separated by party, with the exception of 3 republicans and 8 democrats who sided with the opposite party for the vote.
In the meantime, in Palm Beach, FL Friday morning, an Iranian national was arrested about four miles from President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago presidential retreat.
The man, identified as Masoud Yareioeill Zoleh on his passport, was armed with several knives, a machete and a pickax. Zoleh was arrested at Bradley Park, which is on the east end of the Flagler Memorial Bridge, according to Palm Beach police spokesman Michal Ogrodnick.
Police responded to a call at around 9:30 a.m. and found Zoleh, who also had $22,000 on him and had a car parked at the Palm Beach International Airport.
What might be most troubling about the entire thing is that just days ago, “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar called for Iran to go after Trump properties. Now that a real threat has been identified, cops around the country are calling for her to be arrested for inciting potential violence and threatening national security.
A Daily News photographer who was on the scene saw Zoleh being taken into custody by three Palm Beach police officers, along with two plainclothes officers whom he was told were from another agency. The man also had camping gear on him, according to the photographer. The Palm Beach Post published photos of the arrest.
The arrest on Friday morning came just days after Iran shot approximately twelve ballistic missiles at military bases in Iraq that house U.S. troops. This was in response to the United States airstrike that took out terrorist mastermind Qassem Soleimani, who was the head of the Iranian Quds Force, just outside Baghdad International Airport.
President Trump ordered the airstrike and taking out of Soleimani after U.S. intelligence sources developed information that Soleimani was planning terrorist activities against the United States embassy in Baghdad, as well as other countries.
Last week, insurgents attacked the embassy in Iraq, an attack that was subsequently repelled by a U.S. show of force, unlike what happened in Benghazi, Libya under the Obama administration.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, appearing on the Ingraham Angle on Fox News said Thursday that Soleimani was planning “a series of imminent attacks” when he was killed.
“We don’t know precisely when—and we don’t know precisely where—but it was real. There was a real opportunity here and there was a real necessity here. We made the right decision. The president made the right call.”
Pompeo also backed President Trump’s claim that the multi-billion-dollar payoff made to Iran by the Obama administration likely helped provide the resources that Iran used to launch the attack on the military bases.
“All the things that we are now confronting are a direct result of the resources that the regime had available as a result of that terrible nuclear deal,” Pompeo said.
On Wednesday, President Trump, in an address to the nation, which occurred the morning after the Iranian attack, said, “The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.”
In September 2016, the Treasury Department acknowledged that $1.7 billion was transferred from the U.S. to Iran in foreign hard currency. An initial $400 million was sent to Tehran Jan. 17, the same day Iran released four American prisoners.
The remaining $1.3 billion was paid over a period of a few weeks. The initial payment was settlement of a 37-7ear-old dispute between the two countries over a $400 million payment made by the Shah of Iran, who was exiled during the embassy attack in 1979.
The U.S. also released billions of dollars in assets which belonged to Iran that were held in financial institutions around the world. This was basically all a bribe so that Iran would terminate its nuclear program, which it has continued in basically a move thumbing their nose at the United States. The move was widely criticized, especially by Republicans who claimed that it showed weakness on the part of Obama. No real surprise there.
The timing of the latest incident comes on the heels of Congressman Ilhan Omar’s not so subtle suggestion in a tweet that the president’s properties worldwide might be a target.
“Trump needs to immediately divest from his businesses and comply with the emoluments clause. Iran could threaten Trump hotels “worldwide” and he could provoke war over the loss of revenue from skittish guests.
His business interests should not be driving military decision.”
Trump needs to immediately divest from his businesses and comply with the emoluments clause. Iran could threaten Trump hotels *worldwide* and he could provoke war over the loss of revenue from skittish guests.
His business interests should not be driving military decisions.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 6, 2020
Well, alrighty then. For someone who constantly uses terms like “dog-whistling”, this sure the heck seems like a not so veiled suggestion to Iraq that maybe Trump’s properties might be an attractive target.
Omar has made it quite clear that she throws down with America’s enemies. She also gained a little bit of controversy (shocker there) on Wednesday, when during a press conference, she said that the ongoing conflict with Iran have left her feeling “’a little bit ill’ because of everything that is taking place.”
“And I think every time I hear about—I hear conversations around war, I find myself being stricken with PTSD. And I find peace knowing that I serve with great advocates for peace and people who have shown courage against war,” Omar continued.
PTSD?? Is this nut serious? She suffers from PTSD because a known terrorist was taken out and Iran “responded” by tossing a few missiles at rather harmless targets in Iraq?
This is a tremendous disservice to the brave men and women in our armed forces, who have seen and done things in their lives that would have her running and hiding under her bed. What a pure, unadulterated insult to our military.
During the same conference, after her “PTSD” had calmed down, Omar was seen laughing and giggling, talking to other Democrat colleagues while Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was talking about U.S. troops killed in war.
Rather than stand silently behind Lee as she spoke and actually showing her some respect, she actually became the center of attention when she began her laughing charade and turning around to speak to the other women Democrats on the stage.
Her stunt did not go unnoticed. Twitter lit up with people criticizing Omar for carrying on like a twelve-year-old school child while Lee was speaking.
In the past, when men and women of our military were in harm’s way, politicians at least supported them. They may not have supported their mission, or may not have supported the president, but they always stood behind our brave men and women in the military. Not this bunch.
The so-called “squad” have shown that they are un-American and do not have the best interests of our country in mind, only their interest in pandering to the small constituency of brain-dead voters that elected them in the first place.
