Tag: Unaccompanied alien children

Alma, Michigan Citizens Organize to Oppose Home for UACs in Their Community

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 7 Comments

Editor:  I am posting this story here and at RRW today because it supports my recent harangue that you must get to work locally!  There is no one coming to your rescue as the Open Borders agitators expand their reach into towns large and small across the country.

They are working day and night to change America by changing the people!

The only hope you have now is to fight against the Progressive Left where you live!  Local elected officials can still be moved through public pressure.  There really is no hope at the state or federal level right now. 

Alma has a population of about 10,000! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma%2C_Michigan

Here is a brief report of what is happening in Alma, Michigan where a federal resettlement subcontractor is planning to open a “home” for Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) who are not refugees, but have recently invaded the southern border.

See data: mostly teenaged males! And, don’t you dare use the word “alien” says the Biden Administration.

These local citizens speaking up against the plan are doing what you should be doing where you live because I will bet the ‘religious’ Leftwingers are a step ahead of you and have either begun moving ‘new Americans’ to your community or have you in their sites.

From the Epoch Times:

Resettlement of Unaccompanied Minors Divides Michigan Town

ALMA, Mich.—A proposal to open a 36-bed residential resettlement facility for illegal alien teenagers in a small central Michigan city has ignited a firestorm of opposition from its citizens.

An estimated 400 people attended the City of Alma Planning Commission’s July 12 public hearing to voice their opinions on the issue. The planning commission is expected to make a recommendation to the city commission on Aug. 4 on whether to approve a request for the conditional rezoning of a recently closed nursing home facility owned by Michigan Masonic Home—also known as Masonic Pathways—a fraternal philanthropic nonprofit organization.

Bethany Christian Services, a nonprofit corporation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that would operate the facility, has signed a letter of intent to lease the 6.1-acre property for an annual rent of $385,440, for the purpose of running what it calls “a small group shelter for the short-term care of low-risk youth from 12 to 17 years of age.” Bethany’s goal is to connect the youths with relatives or place them in foster homes.

The Alma shelter, and other such arrangements across Michigan and beyond, are part of the Biden administration’s effort to disseminate the thousands of migrants surging across the United States’ southern border and throughout the interior of the country, and place them in what it calls “influx sites.”

During the month of March, more than 19,000 unaccompanied minors were taken into custody at the southern border by Border Patrol, the largest monthly number in U.S. history.

Bethany Christian Services (subcontractor of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service*** located in Baltimore, MD) says it doesn’t cost Michigan anything because the feds are footing the bill.  Well, obviously the federal money is our money!

Moving them in secrecy!

Media organizations operating in Texas have reported for weeks that unaccompanied children taken into custody at the U.S.–Mexico border are being flown on U.S. military or other government-supplied airplanes to undisclosed destinations. The locations aren’t being divulged out of “concern for the safety of the children,” one federal official said.

At the public hearing in Alma, a spokesperson for Bethany Christian Services explained how the process is paid for, saying: “Everything is fully funded by the U.S. government.

“This program doesn’t cost the state of Michigan anything.

Bethany plays the Christian card….

“Bethany’s mission is to demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus by protecting children. It is a moral issue.”

Audience member Dr. Jeff Smith, who strongly opposes the proposed resettlement center in Alma, appeared to take offense at the claim that the issue is a moral one.

“Don’t lecture me about what’s morally right,” he said. “I went to these countries on medical mission trips. I’m not going to be told I am morally bad by people who stand to make millions.”

There is more here.

Here is more information that shows that the citizens of Alma are doing their homework!

Just so you know, you may see less of me because I plan to spend more time taking my own advice!

What do we do now? Fight Back Locally!

 

***I wrote about the role of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of two major refugee contractors (US Conference of Catholic Bishops is the second major government contractor) who are paid to ‘take care of’ the mostly teenaged border jumpers here in April.

Unaccompanied Alien Children Taking Spaces from American Kids in Foster Care

See that the largest portion of LIRS federal boodle is for UAC ‘care.’

Lutherans to TX Governor Abbott: We are Paid to Take Care of Foreigners NOT Americans!

I have many posts both here and at RRW about ‘Unaccompanied Alien Children’ so use my search function on my home page to find more.

Endnote:  As you know there is a contact form on my homepage and I usually write back to those of you with questions.  However, I have noticed that I rarely get a response to those e-mails.  So please check your spam folders from time to time.

Additionally, a couple of readers reported recently that my posts were going to their spam folders.

Female Staffer Arrested, Tennessee Suspends License of Shelter for UACs

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 2 Comments

This is actually an update of news from Tennessee that I posted at Refugee Resettlement Watch in May with updates in June about the controversial night-flight of Unaccompanied Alien Children (mostly teenagers!) to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

So many posts I write at RRW could just as easily be posted here at ‘Frauds and Crooks!’

See here:

Tennessee Proof: Planes Land in Dark of Night Loaded with Migrants

And here:

Tennessee Republicans Blustering about UAC Drop in the State

Now comes news from the Associated Press that problems at the Chattanooga shelter have resulted in its closure.

From AP at the WaPo:

Tennessee suspends shelter license following staffer arrest

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Tennessee officials on Thursday suspended the license of a Chattanooga shelter for immigrant children after one of the employees was arrested following abuse allegations.

The move comes as Tennessee’s top Republican leaders have called for more scrutiny surrounding the shelter. They allege the federal government has not been transparent when pressed about immigrant children moving through the state.

That rhetoric only intensified after Department of Children’s Services Commissioner Jennifer Nichols told lawmakers that in early June during an unannounced inspection of a Chattanooga shelter, a young boy reported he had witnessed “an act that, in our policy, would substantiate and require an investigation” while at the facility.

The WaPo had no photo of Duarte, but local news does. https://wdef.com/2021/07/01/tennessee-suspends-baptiste-group-shelter-license-following-staffer-arrest/ 

In a news release, Nichols on Thursday cited the abuse allegation and other issues that had plagued the shelter over the past month as reasons for the suspension.

According to the suspension summary, the department was alerted on June 15 that a 16-year-old boy had “absconded” from the shelter.

A week later, the department was told all the youth had been moved from the facility. On Wednesday, the Chattanooga Police Department announced that a staff member had been arrested and faced criminal charges.

Police officials say 35-year-old Randi Duarte faces charges of sexual battery by an authority figure, coercion of a witness and tampering with evidence. Police received a complaint in late May and worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and the Hamilton County District Attorney’s office to investigate the allegation.

The shelter is run by the Baptiste Group….

There is more.

Trump goes there…..

I have thought over the years about the “tender-hearted” women who are often the driving forces behind inviting the world to live in America (like Taylor in Greeley).

Duarte’s arrest reminded me that President Trump, just last week in Ohio, reread “The Snake” during his first rally back on the campaign trail.

Here he is with the crowd-favorite in 2017:

Update: Inspector General Looking into Huge Contract to Shelter Illegal Aliens

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 2 Comments

This is the latest on a post I wrote a little over a month ago about a federal contractor (Endeavors) that landed a massive no-bid contract and now the Dept. of Homeland Security Inspector General has launched an investigation.

The size of the contract and the connection to a Biden insider raises red flags.

Here is what I posted in April:

UAC News: Congressman Says Biden Transition Team Member Landed Massive Government Contract

Here is the latest….

From Fox News in Wilmington:

DHS Inspector General reviewing huge no-bid contract with company connected to former Biden official

 

EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General’s office is evaluating a multi-million dollar contract awarded to a Texas company that employs a former Biden transition official, multiple sources with the probe confirm to Fox News.

A DHS IG official tells Fox News the contract, with the San Antonio-based nonprofit Endeavors, is the subject of an ongoing evaluation to look at how “ICE plans to house migrant families in hotels, and how ICE selected a contractor to implement these plans.” The Formal title of the probe is, “ICE’s Contract to House Migrants in Hotels.”

Tens of thousands of migrants are crossing the southern border every month, with nearly 180,000 encountered by Customs and Border Patrol along the Southwestern Border in April 2021.

Thousands of those migrants are now being housed in hotels, thanks to Endeavors. The company recently landed a couple of massive government contracts worth upwards of a half-billion dollars.

Andrew Lorenzen-Strait

On January 20th, 2021, the very day President Joe Biden took the oath of office, Endeavors put out a news release announcing the hiring of Andrew Lorenzen-Strait, a former Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official who also served as a Biden transition advisor on Homeland Security issues.

“This is a no-bid contract, and those should be used in only the most extraordinary circumstances,” said Tom Jones of the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative-leaning watchdog organization. “It’s typical and it’s terrible. Both sides do it. It’s why we have a massive budget deficit and a debt going through the roof…There’s scumminess and swampiness on both sides of this but we need to root that out.”

Continue reading here.

If you are interested in more on the Unaccompanied Alien Children invasion of America, visit my other blog RRW.

Although the mostly illegal alien teenaged boys are NOT refugees (the Open Borders cabal wants you to think they are refugees!), I’ve been posting regularly there on the issue.

See my post yesterday.

And, here is my archive at ‘Frauds and Crooks’ on the topic.

Montgomery County Maryland Plans to ‘Welcome’ up to 3,000 Unaccompanied Alien Children This Year

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 4 Comments

But, they are not alone and likely some of the other top ‘welcoming’ counties in America will see numbers higher than that.

How many UACs is your county getting? https://www.breitbart.com/border/2019/01/12/dhs-two-ny-ms-13-stabbing-suspects-exploited-unaccompanied-minor-loophole-to-enter-u-s/

See the data maintained by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and note that MoCo, although among the highest counties that will absorb the illegal alien teens, is not the highest.

And, by the way, the data at ORR is only through March and you know the April 2021 invasion is surely one of the largest in many years.

If you don’t see your county, it doesn’t mean your state is off the hook, state data is here.

‘Non-profit’ organizations in the county are scrambling for money they say they need to keep the mostly teenaged boys out of gangs.  

What a mess.  If you live in this wealthy Maryland County that borders Washington, DC, move!  But, first get your kids out of the school system which will see the disastrous impact of Biden’s Open Borders policy first.

LOL! the Biden gang has put out the word that Unaccompanied Alien Children, a title used for years, is now verboten and we must refer to the illegal aliens as Unaccompanied Minors.  So therefore, my message to you is to keep using the accurate term—Unaccompanied Alien Children.

From WUSA9:

As Montgomery County expects wave of unaccompanied minors, local nonprofit works to expand capacity

There have been at least 104 undocumented migrant children resettled with family or sponsors in Montgomery County since October, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. However, the latest data is from February which likely means many more children have already relocated to the county.

As of late April, Montgomery County Public Schools recorded 70 students are believed to be unaccompanied minors. Officials expect 3,000 undocumented children to reach the county by this year or as early as summer.

The federal data base shows that Montgomery County received 178 UACs through the end of March, so if 70 registered for school, where are the other 108?  And, why is the database not up to date?

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) is partnered with eight organizations: Identity, Inc., Family Services, Inc., CASA, Mary’s Center, Impact Silver Spring, Catholic Charities, LAYC (Latin American Youth Council) and Ayuda.

About eight or so years ago, I posted often about CASA, see here if you are interested.

The county had planned to call FEMA and the Office of Refugee Resettlement for federal funding since it’s one of the top 10 receiving sites for asylum-seeking children.

“The call took place but there were no commitments from FEMA about funding,” a MCHHS spokesperson said.

One of the major concerns to avoid is the involvement of gangs.

Community leaders know gangs are preparing themselves to recruit many of the young people as members offer what could seem like a family environment.

[….]

A Montgomery County police spokesperson said the department is working with the Department of Health and Human Services to address gang preventative measures for all undocumented minors.

[….]

In Virginia, there have been 119 resettlements in Fairfax County.

The sponsors who help happen at the federal level. The Office of Refugee Resettlement works with organizations such as Bethany Christian Services & Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services on sponsoring children. These organizations previously are certified and licensed at the federal level.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, headquartered at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, is a federal refugee contractor which I write about often at RRW.  The UACs, however, are NOT refugees, remember that!

Two Major Refugee Contractors Receive Millions to Move Illegal Aliens from the Border to Interior US

$55 million is their take (of your money) for the children! over the last twelve months.

 

P.S. Maryland Republican Governor Hogan is apparently not saying a word about the ‘children’ flooding into the state for taxpayers to support. Twenty other governors are saying NO, even as the federal government ignores them.

Unaccompanied Alien Children Taking Spaces from American Kids in Foster Care

~ Ann Corcoran ~ 3 Comments

But, at least in some states Republican governors are saying NO!

“I do not want our kids harmed as the result of President Biden’s bad policies.”

(Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts)

One Republican Governor who apparently doesn’t mind helping Biden out of the border crisis mess is never-Trumper and Jeb Bush pal Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland.

MD Republican Gov Larry Hogan apparently okay with UACs taking Maryland foster care slots.

Or, does he even know that an organization in our state, which received $55 million in the last 12 months from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement specifically to care for the UAC kids, is using Maryland’s foster care system to place the mostly teenaged ‘children’ (who have so-far found no relative in America willing to take them) into Maryland homes?

Makes me wonder what Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is doing with $55 million (75% of their federal boodle) that is for the children if they are simply placing them in other taxpayer-funded foster care as this news at CBS suggests.

From CBS Baltimore:

For months now, we’ve seen images of federal facilities packed with thousands of unaccompanied minors at a time when there are a record number of children reaching the southern border, most coming from Central America. The sheer volume of children is overwhelming the federal government’s resources with thousands of children packed into facilities never meant to handle this amount.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, LIRS CEO previously was a candidate for governor of Maryland and before that she worked for Michelle in the White House.

But one Baltimore based organization, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, is working to move kids out of those facilities and into the homes of families eager to help.

[….]

“Our focus is getting these children out of Customs and Border Protection facilities,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah***, CEO of LIRS.

[….]

LIRS pairs kids with foster families across the country, including dozens here in Maryland.

[….]

But in the meantime, Vignarajah says the need is still great as the children continue to arrive at the southern border. “We have seen unprecedented numbers of children coming across the border and so we need more parents than ever before and so if anyone out there is willing to open up their home and hearts, these children could use their care,” she said.

More here.

Other state leaders ARE putting American children first!

From Pew Trusts:

(Just so you know, until a few short weeks about the ‘children’ illegally crossing our borders were referred to as Unaccompanied Alien Children, however a Biden administration edict now directs all media to refer to them as Unaccompanied Migrant Children, or simply Unaccompanied Children! Here Pew does what they are told!)

Republican Governors Block Unaccompanied Migrant Children

FORT WORTH, Texas — The federal foster care system was unprepared to house the record nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children who came to the United States in March, so the Biden administration asked some states to temporarily house them.

Republican governors in Iowa, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming said no.

“This is not our problem,” said Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. “This is the president’s problem. He’s the one that has opened the border and he needs to be responsible for this and he needs to stop it.”

The governors claim that unaccompanied children would displace those already in state foster care or limit states’ ability to make new placements.

“Nebraska is declining their request because we are reserving our resources for serving our kids,” Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said in an April 13 news release. “I do not want our kids harmed as the result of President Biden’s bad policies.”

 

Who is paying?

But federal officials note that care providers for unaccompanied children are paid via federal grants and operate separately from state child welfare systems.

Is LIRS paying the families directly out of their federal payola?  If so, they need to explain it!  And, explain who is monitoring the care the illegal alien kids are getting once placed in foster care homes.

Of course as Pew admits there are still costs to state taxpayers:

Caring for unaccompanied children does require some limited state resources, because states license and monitor foster care providers contracted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the federal agency in charge of housing unaccompanied minors.

However, there currently are no federally funded foster care providers for unaccompanied minors in any of the five states where Republican governors have expressed concerns, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services records analyzed by Stateline show.

Pew goes on and on consuming many column inches on the subject of bed space and how much, or how little, Trump left us with when the Dems stole the 2020 election.

Contractor middlemen….

Pew reports something we already knew (at least for LIRS and the USCCB).

Foster care providers who care for unaccompanied children include the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, BCFS Health and Human Services, Upbring, and Urban Strategies.

But, still unclear is how does this contract system work? And, why are middlemen even necessary?  Couldn’t the feds just send money directly to state agencies willing to participate?

I wondered where Endeavors is in all of this? That is another give-or-take $500 million for housing the ‘children.’

There is much more at Pew.

I guess we can conclude that our tax dollars (to care for the illegal alien kids) go through a bunch of contractor middlemen masquerading as non-profits (skimming off generous salaries and office overhead) as they go about looking for states willing to put unaccompanied alien children into their state’s foster care system thereby displacing needy American kids.

As I have been saying all along, federal refugee contractors put Americans Last!

Is that what your governor is doing as well?

 

*** I just had a look at a recent IRS Form 990 for LIRS, and Vignarajah is pulling down an annual salary and benefits package of a quarter of a million (apparently a pay cut from the previous CEO who left under a cloud).

Since LIRS is about 87% federally funded, they are a fake non-profit.  LOL! You can be assured that this ‘religious’ federal contractor is not passing the plate on Sundays to pay for their ‘charitable’ work.

See this post I wrote a year ago at RRW about Krish and her hubby, the Washington DC Leftie power couple, working another angle—we must welcome more migrants of all stripes due to global warming!

And, somehow that is going to help America’s wildlife and our great outdoor spaces—say what?

Refugee Advocates Join Forces with Major National Wildlife Protection Group