Somalia-Bantu Refugees to find New Lives in the United States

Department of State ^ | 02/05/03 | Department of State

[Copernicus]

IIP Home | Africa Issues	Friday 7 February 2003

Fact Sheet: Somali-Bantu Refugees to Find New Lives in United States

About 12,000 will be vetted for resettlement in 50 U.S. towns

The first Somali Bantu refugees will arrive in the United States in the spring of 2003 to begin new lives, according to a Fact Sheet released by the U.S. Department of State February 5. The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has attempted for many years to find permanent resettlement sites for them.

Approximately 12,000 refugees under consideration for admission to the U.S. spent most of the past decade in camps along the dangerous Somali-Kenyan border. After rigorous security and physical examinations, those accepted for resettlement will be placed in extended family groups in up to 50 cities and towns across the United States throughout 2003 and 2004.

Following is the text of the Fact Sheet:

(begin fact sheet)

Fact Sheet

U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration

Washington, DC

February 5, 2003

Somali Bantu Refugees

In the spring of 2003, the first Somali Bantu refugees will arrive in the United States to begin new lives. This group of approximately 12,000 refugees under consideration for admission to the U.S. has spent most of the past decade languishing in camps along the dangerous Somali-Kenyan border. Descendants of slaves taken from Tanzania and northern Mozambique in the late nineteenth century to the southern Somali coast, the Bantu have remained a persecuted minority in Somalia and cannot return to the homes they fled there.

For many years, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sought a place of safe asylum where the Bantu could permanently resettle. Kenya, which struggles to meet the needs of its own population as well as the hundreds of thousands of refugees it hosts, was unable to provide permanent refuge. In 2000, the United State agreed to consider the group for resettlement in the United States.

After being moved from the border to a safer and more accessible site in Kenya, the refugees will undergo interviews with officers of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to determine if they are eligible for admission into the United States as refugees. In addition, rigorous security checks and medical examinations will be performed on all applicants before they are approved for resettlement. The Bantu will also be provided with literacy training and an extended program of cultural orientation in Kenya before arriving in the United States. They will be placed in extended family groups in up to fifty cities and towns across the United States throughout 2003 and 2004.

Upon arrival in the U.S., each Bantu family will be assigned to one of the ten voluntary agencies under cooperative agreement with the Department of State to provide reception and placement services. These agencies are Church World Service, Episcopal Migration Ministries, Ethiopian Community Development Council, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Iowa Bureau of Refugee Programs, Immigration and Refugee Services of America, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and World Relief Refugee Services. They will assist with basic immediate needs such as housing, furniture, clothing, food, and referrals to employment, ESL, and other services. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service s Office of Refugee Resettlement provides funding to the states and voluntary agencies for longer-term programs for refugees.

For more information on the Somali Bantu, see the fact sheet on the Bantu on the Cultural Orientation website operated by the Center for Applied Linguistics: www.culturalorientation.net.

(end fact sheet)

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[FITZ]

So, is the problem that these people will have access to these programs, or that these programs exist?"

Obviously the answer is both. Importing more welfare types who will feel they "need" these programs isn't going to help us ever end these pathetic programs. Immigration is screwed up when we purposely bring in dependent helpless people who can't earn a living but need tax money. Having 15-20 kids might be practical in Africa where you don't expect many to survive past their 3rd year but no working man can support that many wives and kids in America.

[FITZ]

while a small number of white supremacists who have called for the expulsion of Somalis gathered three miles away

I know one-third of Russian refugees also end up on welfare programs and they're supposedly fairly well educated (and of course white) and we don't need any of them either. If some believe the Somalis only problem will be racism, maybe they should stick them in the black-inner cities and see how they fare there. If blacks beat them up then it wouldn't be out of racism at least.

[catfur]

Bantus have had little exposure to Western housing, conveniences, food, electricity, flush toilets, telephones, and kitchen and laundry supplies. This is another area where the orientation used for other rural refugees will be helpful.

and the jobs where they're needed will be food service, cafeterias, cleaning... hmm what an enticement for us eating out.

My suggestion is get the US out of the UN, vacate the bldg. designate it a Federal public housing project and move all 12,000 of these new arrivals into the bldg.

Instead of volunteering at the local ASPCA, the NY libs can do good deeds at the site.

[Dante3]

Just what we need! And let's not forget to keep bringing in more of bin Laden's followers and Hussein's buddies. Really, we DO NOT NEED MORE IMMIGRANTS. WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE. HOW WILL THESE PEOPLE MAKE THIS A BETTER COUNTRY?

[Poohbah]

WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE.

This inspires me to ask two pertinent questions:

Do you really believe that? Please answer "yes" or "no."

Do you really love your country? Please answer "yes" or "no."

[SCalGal]

What exactly is it about these people that you object to dennis?

I can't speak for Dennis, but I object to having to support them.

[SheLion]

Oh sure. Maine is one of the first!

[SheLion]

Lewiston, Maine

[Copernicus]

These people are going through the process legally, they are receiving literacy training and an extended program of cultural orientation in Kenya before arriving in the United States, they are undergoing rigorous physical examinations as well as extensive security checks, they are being placed with extended family members in the US, spread out across the nation so they will not form ghettos, they are being helped by voluntary agencies upon their arrival, have skills in mechanics, small-scale farming, and construction (trades), they a have strong sense of family and community, "90% of refugees coming to Atlanta have jobs within 90 days. 85% of even the Sudanese "Lost Boys", who came from a similar background, were employed within 90 days. Most of these jobs come with health insurance after the refugee is employed 90 days".

Mr. Gonzalez:

Thank you for your contribution to this thread. On paper your points are well made.

However, surely you will admit some skepticism is proper in this case.

I submit to you there is a QUALITATIVE difference between immigrants who find their way into this country legally and with their own resources and immigrants who are plucked from a situation over which they established no control and are dumped into another situation over which they will have the same lack of control.

I further submit the assertions that "private'organizations" will assist with this relocation are equally subject to skepticism.

The past half century has clearly demonstrated there are any number of means to transfer money from the General Treasury of the United States into the hands of people who will pursue truly destructive agendas.

In the civilian world this would be commonly referred to as "money laundering" and is generally considered to be illegal.

As one additional brief rebuttal point I would also suggest the line between "legal" and "Constitutional" has been hopelessly blurred in the past century.

Again, I would suggest there is a QUALITATIVE Constitutional difference between the acceptance of self selecting immigrants who demonstrate a capacity to assimilate into the culture of a Republic whose values include capitalism and liberty and plucking CERTAIN populations from CERTAIN locations while ignoring other populations who maybe equally worthy of relocation if not more so.

These relocations seem to occur with virtually no public debate, oversight or input and I think the time maybe long overdue to start such debates.

Forgive me if I am unable to respond to your reply as quickly and completely as might seem proper but I thought your observations deserved some comment.

Best regards,

[contessa machiaveli]

i'm not sure where you live in brooklyn but my husband and i lived in brooklyn heights and atlantic avenue on the perimeter had many mideastern restaurants....at that time it was charming..hell i was younger and naive.however, i remember the palestinian doorman at my building, i hope you'll excuse me....but he was a prick. a leering, nasty and sneaky SOB.
now they've taken over many parts of brooklyn and certain towns in NJ. all i can say is sh-t.

[Missouri]

Yes it is discouraging.
Now more than ever, we need to support HR 946 which has been introduced in the House of Representitives by Tom Tancredo.
Here it is in a nutshell from the F.A.I.R. website.




More than 30 million immigrants have settled in the United States since 1970. Now our cities, schools, health care systems, labor markets, and environment all need a break. We cannot provide high quality education, health care, and retirement security for our own people if we continue to bring in endless numbers of poor, unskilled immigrants.


Current immigration levels are so high that immigration officials are unable to thoroughly screen immigrants before allowing them into the country-as September 11, 2001 tragically underscored. Just as one would shut off the main water valve before attempting to fix a leaky pipe, the U.S. needs to turn off the flow while we repair a dysfunctional policy.


Stopping most forms of immigration temporarily would allow us time to devise an immigration policy that truly meets national needs. It would also allow us to concentrate on stopping the massive illegal immigration problem and regaining control of our borders.


For more information, see FAIR's issue brief on why America needs an immigration moratorium:

http://www.fairus.org/html/04103604.htm

[Luis Gonzalez]

Just "them"? I object having to support anyone, I don't care whether they're homegrown or not.

Your problem is something else altogether.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"These people are just short of being classified as savages."

Now we're getting to the meat and potatoes.

"They are fully illiterate which means in the US they are unemployable."

And while you seem to be literate, you failed to read the article...literacy can be wasted on the willingly ignorant.

"They are tribal and they are Muslims. They will not change their spots."

So, pray tell, what exactly is there about these people that would disable in them one of humanity's greatest natural ability, the ability to adapt?

The Vietnamese?

Bad example to make your case with, they are one of the most successful immigrant groups ever to hit these shores.

Ninety percent of Somalis in Atlanta were fully employed within 90 days of their arrival, and covered by health insurance shortly thereafter.

I seriously doubt that there will be any Somalis living either in your home, or block...and I live in an area that has more immigrants than most in the US.

BTW, when you visit my house, you are visiting the home of an immigrant.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"The real issue is that these people are dropped here and begin feeding off government money like leeches and WE have to pay for them."

No Pappy, the real issue is that we are paying for 10,000 homegrown welfare leeches for every immigrant that reaches these shores. I can understand how a new arrival could need help. I don’t understand someone who has lived here all their life receiving welfare. At least the immigrants show the ability to advance themselves.

"You choose to see the white supremacists because you want to see them. I never saw them."

The forest because of the trees

[Luis Gonzalez]

"The real issue here, Luis, is that you do not know what you are talking about."

You wanna bet?

"Implying that the problem in Lewiston, ME is due to some KKK types is pure BS."

I never said, or implied that. Pappy linked me to a search page about the Lewiston situation, and a full third of the links talked about how the people in Maine (that's where Lewiston is by the way) were outraged at the presence of white supremacists (I NEVER mentioned the KKK) in Maine, in favor of the Somalis, and against what THEY called racism.

See, I know what I'm talking about, but you have no clue.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I am perfectly of your mind, that measures of great Temper are necessary with the Germans: and am not without Apprehensions, that thro' their indiscretion or Ours, or both, great disorders and inconveniences may one day arise among us; Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation, and as Ignorance is often attended with Credulity when Knavery would mislead it, and with Suspicion when Honesty would set it right; and as few of the English understand the German Language, and so cannot address them either from the Press or Pulpit, 'tis almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain. Their own Clergy have very little influence over the people; who seem to take an uncommon pleasure in abusing and discharging the Minister on every trivial occasion. Not being used to Liberty, they know not how to make a modest use of it; and as Kolben says of the young Hottentots, that they are not esteemed men till they have shewn their manhood by beating their mothers, so these seem to think themselves not free, till they can feel their liberty in abusing and insulting their Teachers. Thus they are under no restraint of Ecclesiastical Government; They behave, however, submissively enough at present to the Civil Government which I wish they may continue to do: For I remember when they modestly declined intermeddling in our Elections, but now they come in droves, and carry all before them, except in one or two Counties; Few of their children in the Country learn English; they import many Books from Germany; and of the six printing houses in the Province, two are entirely German, two half German half English, and but two entirely English; They have one German News-paper, and one half German. Advertisements intended to be general are now printed in Dutch and English; the Signs in our Streets have inscriptions in both languages, and in some places only German: They begin of late to make all their Bonds nad other legal Writings in their own Language, which (though I think it ought not to be) are allowed good in our Courts, where the German Business so encreases that there is continual need of Interpreters; and I suppose in a few years they will be also necessary in the Assembly, to tell one half of our Legislators what the other half say; In short unless the stream of their importation could be turned from this to other colonies, as you very judiciously propose, they will soon so out number us, that all the advantages we have will not in My Opinion be able to preserve our language, and even our Government will become precarious."---The Support Of The Poor", letter to Peter Collinson. From "The Writings of Benjamin Franklin".

Source.

How are those Germans doing these days?

[lonewacko_dot_com]

I recently spoke to a Thai woman who's been in the U.S. for 24 years. She still has trouble with slightly complicated English sentences and big words. Somehow, the current administration expects people who "have had little formal education, low literacy and English levels, large families, almost no U.S. support system, and an almost total lack of exposure to technology and urban life" to suddenly learn English and adapt?

To a certain extent, this is like people who run 500 mile marathons or who try to stay up for three days. There's no real purpose, they just want to show they can do it. If America can absorb the Bantus, well, by damn, we must be the world's rockingest society.

Perhaps we should be a bit less macho, and try for easier challenges. Like taking 24 years to assimilate someone from the more advanced Thai culture. Certainly there's somewhere in Africa where the Bantus could be resettled. If we wanted to send them aid, it would cost a lot less there than here as well.

[Nitro]

Just keep them out of Brooklyn!!

[Luis Gonzalez]

My mother has been here 35 years, she still has difficulty with complex sentences, and her vocabulary has limitations.

She worked for 30 of those years (my parents are retired now), paid taxes, is a registered Republican, votes in every election at every level every year, stays abreast of events by devouring two newspapers daily, and watching FOX, and along with my father, raised three ardent conservatives.

Do these things make her special?

Well, to me she is, but there is someone just like her in nearly every one of our backgrounds.

First generation immigrants do not assimilate. We (I am a first generation immigrant) acclimate, adapt, and learn to exist, but it's that first native-born generation who are the true indicative of assimilation.

Only one of my parent's six grandchildren speaks Spanish.

[Copernicus]

How are those Germans doing these days?

My point exactly. How did those Germans arrive here? With what funds? Under what circumstances?

I repeat: there is a QUALITATIVE difference between self selected individuals who arrive at their own expense and with proper motivation and entire POPULATIONS who are plucked from circumstances over which they have never established control and dumped elsewhere with equal lack of control.

Best regards,