Posted on 10/12/2017 4:00:40 PM PDT by markomalley
In response to a Judicial Watch lawsuit, the State Department claims in a legal document that it has no records involving refugee travel loans that the agency gives foreigners overseas to buy plane tickets to fly to the United States. The program is operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an intergovernmental group that assists refugees worldwide with hundreds of millions of dollars from Uncle Sam. The money is channeled through the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). In fiscal year 2016 the State Department gave IOM $477,257,564, according to the agency’s report on contributions to international organizations. That doesn’t even include millions more that the State Department gives the IOM for special refugee resettlement “platforms” that pop up throughout the year.
On its website the IOM writes that it provides interest-free loans “furnished by the Department of State” to “all refugees arriving in the United States:” Judicial Watch launched an investigation into the refugee loan program and filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the State Department last year to uncover details. In the request Judicial Watch asked for all records from 2010 to 2016 reflecting the number of Refugee Travel Loans furnished by the State Department’s PRM to the IOM per year, the number of travel loans that are defaulted upon per year and the amount of money written off per defaulted loan. The State Department failed to respond to the FOIA request by the federally-mandated deadline and Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit earlier this year.
In a federal court document responding to Judicial Watch’s lawsuit, the State Department writes that its “search did not retrieve any records reflecting the number of refugee travel loans furnished per year using U.S. Government funds, the number of such travel loans defaulted on annually, nor the amount of money written off per defaulted loan.” In a footnote the agency writes that it did retrieve some records reflecting IOM’s “general reporting” on refugee travel loans, but none of it contained the “specific information sought” by Judicial Watch. This is outrageous because it suggests that the State Department can’t account for money American taxpayers are lending to foreigners to fly here to declare themselves refugees. A source with inside knowledge of the matter confirmed to Judicial Watch that the records exist and years ago a State Department insider provided figures that show only about half of the travel loans have been repaid since the program was launched in the 1950s, representing a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to American taxpayers. Judicial Watch viewed the records, which span from 1952 to 2002 and reveal that the IOM issued $1,020,803,910 in “transportation” loans and recovered only $584, 219,453.
The U.S.-funded refugee loan program is a broader racket that extends beyond travel money and involves other government agencies. Last summer Judicial Watch obtained records about a program run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement that gives refugees on public assistance special loans of up to $15,000 to start a business. The agency fails to keep track of defaults that could translate into huge losses for U.S. taxpayers, the records reveal. Since 2010 the HHS boondoggle, known as Microenterprise Development Program, has granted thousands of loans to refugees that lack the financial resources, credit history or personal assets to qualify for business loans from commercial banks. Most if not all the recipients already get assistance or subsidies from the government, according to the qualification guidelines set by the Microenterprise Development Program.
It’s a risky operation that blindly gives public funds to poor foreign nationals with no roots in the U.S. and there’s no follow up to assure the cash is paid back. The idea behind it is to “equip refugees with the skills they need to become successful entrepreneurs” by helping them expand or maintain their own business and become financially independent. The records obtained by Judicial Watch show that from 2010 to 2015, HHS gave a total of 3,096 of the so-called micro loans. In 2015 a record 558 loans were granted to refugees but it’s not clear for what amount. At the high end, if all 558 loans made that year were for the full $15,000 available to each refugee that would mean that HHS can’t account for an astounding $8.37 million in one year alone.
They get $15,000.00 loans from the government to start businesses?
I have never started a business but I assume US citizens get the same thing.
Right?
.
Simple. Withhold half the paycheck/retirement check of state department employees (from the SoS down) until all the money that can’t be accounted for is recovered.
I’ll bet records will appear in a hurry.
=============================================
ACTION NOW-—CONTACT CONGRESS: Capitol Switchboard 1-866-220-0044
Call President Trump: Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FBI TIPS PAGE-----https://tips.fbi.gov
Loans ?
What loans ?
Meanwhile, a planeload of Somalis arriving about the same time were ushered into a quick check line where NOTHING was confiscated and there seemed to be zero checks from customs. Some people are just more equal than others, don't you know?
If they have no records, these aren’t loans.. The State Department is still operating like it is under Obama’s control, maybe it is.
Is this in addition to the $6 Billion that went missing between 2008-2014 ? Does the State department employ any accountants ?
With all the Obama hold overs, it probably is.
SBA loans are like disaster relief FEMA type loans. It basically is another subsidized loan like student loans, taxing my speech for their speech.
Nice to know we are FEMA for foreign disasters too, you know, bringing the disasters here. Smdh.
Back then Italians coming to America had no stinking federal loans,sheesh. I suppose now the feds have taken over the mafia in loan sharking?
The money probably went to a Muslim country. Remember where the democrat IT specialists came from.
Purge the State Dept. from top to bottom, starting with the secretary.
I just knew that the Democrats obsession with illegal immigration had to be about money somewhere. It looks like Judicial Watch has figured it out
I could NOT believe it——we fly them here,give them a place to live, an income, food assistance,free medical,educate their kids-———and they get a LOAN?????
No wonder Trump got elected.
.
With no records, it’s not a loan, it’s a handout.
Why call them loans when it’s obviously clear that they will never be repaid. May as well just declare outright the money was GIVEN to refugees to come to the U.S. - forget the loan part!
Congress enacted 18 U.S.C. § 666 to protect the integrity of the vast sums of money distributed through Federal programs.
Theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds (sometimes referred to as program fraud or program bribery) is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 666. The purpose of this statute is protect the integrity of the vast sums of money distributed through federal programs.
REFERENCE——Theft or bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft_or_bribery_concerning_programs_receiving_Federal_funds
0 promised Redistribution. It’s amazing the sneaky ways he found to do it.
I haven’t heard about the Pigford program in several years. I wonder how that’s doing.
Yes, it does feel like we are taking the disasters caused in other countries by maniacs and bring them here, the disaster itself. Maybe they can bring in Ebola and irradiated soil too with them while at it so we can clean their Cubas up some more.
IT’S THEFT (period) OUR GOVERNMENT STEALS from the AMERICAN TAX PAYERS. (period)
JAIL CLINTON and do the same to BO’B and buddies.
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