A number of Republican and Democrat Governors have been all over themselves of late preening about taking in more refugees. Trump Administration policies have become more selective, designed to protect America and get control of immigration of all sorts. America is already extremely generous with its immigration policies.
The “aren’t we generous with our taxpayer resources” preening they engage in is also at the expense of others in the world who might be taken in, often in reality just as deserving. The Republican preeners never seem to verbalize how many of one class of immigrant should be enough, what percentage of mix, nor what program they believe should be cut, or what tax increased in their state budget to adequately pay for increases implicated by their statements.
As we have advocated — refugee resettlement (an aspect of immigration) ought to be focused in the region from the country being departed. There can be generous exceptions for those who fought as our allies (and their immediate families) on behalf of freedom. But that needs to be documented. For others, a genuine temporary status with limited welfare support can be discussed but it seems to us the burden to come up with a protective policy that protects American citizens is on the proponents of more immigration when the costs (and risks) are applied to others.
As this Greenfield article demonstrates the refugee process must be tightened up. The Pentagon’s advocacy in this is irresponsible. Thanks to TN for referring us to the article.
