Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Carol Swain to the newsmakers line to discuss several of President Trump’s refugee resettlement executive order and suggests how Tennessee should respond.
Read MoreTag: refugee resettlement
272,000 Legal Immigrants Arrived in the U.S. in 2016 with Entitlement to Welfare Programs Like U.S. Citizens
272,000 legal immigrants arrived in the United States during 2016 with an entitlement to the full menu of welfare programs, just like any U.S. citizen, attendees were told at the Conservative Caucus in Murfreesboro on Saturday.
The information was presented by one of the afternoon’s speakers, Don Barnett, a fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies who has followed refugee resettlement for over 20 years.
Read MoreBills Requiring Legislative Input for Refugee Resettlement Advance in Tennessee State House
Two separate bills that stipulate that the input of either the state or local legislative body is required with regard to the resettlement of refugees have moved through the House State Committee.
In other words, both proposed pieces of legislation prohibit Tennessee’s governor from acting alone in making decisions regarding refugee resettlement.
The proposals came about as the result of a series of events that occurred in late 2019.
Read MoreEagle Forum Asks Supreme Court to Consider Tennessee Refugee Resettlement Lawsuit
A prominent conservative organization has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a case involving Tennessee’s participation in the federal refugee resettlement program.
Read MoreU.S. State Department Resettles Over 1,000 Afghan Refugees During Coronavirus Pandemic: REPORT
In the past month, the State Department resettled over a thousand refugees from Afghanistan, even though the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program was temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in refugee camps overseas, including in Greece, where a migrant camp had to be quarantined after 23 asylum seekers tested positive for the coronavirus.
The pause on refugee admissions was expected to last from March 19 through April 6, but according to Ann Corcoran of Refugee Resettlement Watch, 1,003 Afghan refugees were resettled during that approximate time period.
Read MoreReport: Taxpayers Billed up to $133,000 per Refugee Resettled in U.S.
Breitbart reports, “American taxpayers are billed up to $133,000 per refugee resettled in the United States over the course of a lifetime, a new study reveals.”
In a recent report on the costs to U.S. citizens for its welcoming immigration and refugee policies, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) finds that each refugee resettled in the U.S. especially those in the United States illegally, and use social welfare programs cost American taxpayers anywhere on average between $60,000 and $133,000 over the course of a lifetime.
Read MoreDeWine, Timken Hit Public Speaking Tour to Tout Positive News But Ignore Gun Control, High Unemployment, and Refugees
The classic Wizard of Oz quote “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” could apply to the attitude of the top leaders of the Ohio Republican Party.
Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken have taken to the roads to proclaim how wonderful the economy is and talk about government spending plans for children’s programs. Noticeably absent are comments about red flag laws, refugees and primary endorsements that the two have drawn heat on lately.
Read MoreTulsi Gabbard Joins Leahy to Discuss Refugee Resettlement and Bernie Sanders
Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.
Read MoreMinneapolis Museum Drapes Refugee Life Jackets Over Exterior Columns
The Minneapolis Institute of Art has draped thousands of life jackets worn by refugees over the museum’s exterior columns.
Read MoreKlobuchar Calls for Over 500 Percent Increase in Refugees, But Just Not in Her Neighborhood, Reports Say
“Do what I say, not as I do,” could be the mantra for Presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar when it comes to resettling more than 500 percent more refugees under her proposal since virtually none of them would end up in her neighborhood, according to a report. And one of…
Read MoreAs President, Billionaire Mike Bloomberg Vows to Increase Refugee Admissions 694 Percent to 125,000 a Year
Billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg wants to flood America with refugees by 694 percent.
Read MoreMichigan Group Gives $300,000 to Organizations Providing Refugees with Legal Services
A Michigan group announced last week that it has awarded $300,000 to nine local organizations “working to address the needs of immigrants and refugees,” including legal services and healthcare.
Read MoreState Rep. Gant Introduces Bill to Address Refugee Resettlement Issue
The Tennessee House of Representatives is considering a new bill aimed at stopping Gov. Bill Lee from allowing an influx of refugees without legislative approval.
Read MoreUPDATED – The Deep State Strikes Again as a Clinton-Appointed Federal Judge Halts President Trump’s Refugee Resettlement Executive Order
In a statement from the White House Wednesday evening, Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham called this ruling “preposterous” and yet another example of a lawless district court asserting its own immigration policy in front of standing US law. Furthermore, she says this ruling “robbed” millions of Americans from having a direct say in something that directly affects their communities.
Read MoreGov. Walz’s Refugee Decision Allows Federal Government to Send Middle East Refugees to Minnesota That Australia Has Refused
Gov. Tim Walz’s December 13 decision to say yes to more refugees in Minnesota grants the federal government permission to resettle refugees from any country it desires into the state, including up to 720 refugees from Middle East countries that the government of Australia has refused to accept.
Read MoreRamsey County Unanimously Consents to More Refugees
Both of Minnesota’s most populous counties will officially continue to accept refugees.
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton on Upcoming Legislative Session and Hot Topics
As the 111th Tennessee General Assembly is set to enter its second session, newly elected Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton gave an exclusive interview to The Tennessee Star to discuss legislative priorities and current issues.
Read MoreGOP Governors Push for Refugee Resettlement as Trump Lowers Acceptance Cap
Republican governors around the country are working closely with refugee resettlement NGOs and contractors to circumvent President Trump’s efforts to lower the amount of refugees admitted to the United States, according to a memo obtained by Breitbart.
Read MoreGov. Bill Lee Silent on Report His Decision Allows Federal Government to Send Middle East Refugees to Tennessee That Australia Has Refused
Gov. Bill Lee’s decision on December 18 to say yes to more refugees in Tennessee allows the federal government to resettle refugees from any country it wants into the state, including an estimated 300 to 720 refugees from Middle East countries that the government of Australia has refused to accept.
Read MoreCommentary: Republican Governors’ ‘Tolerance’ Will Kill Us All
We’re tolerating ourselves to death. There is no other way to say it, especially when it comes to immigration, specifically anchor babies, chain migration, and refugee resettlement. It’s as though our “leaders” have been fed stupid pills and chased them down with healthy quantities of idiocy.
Read MoreIlhan Omar Goes After Rural Minnesota County for Rejecting Refugees
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) accused Beltrami County of “denying refugees a chance at a better life” after it voted to opt out of refugee resettlement.
Read MoreCity of Westerville, Ohio Approves Refugee Resettlement
Westerville City Council unanimously passed a resolution this week that says the city will allow refugees to resettle within their community.
Read MoreMinnesota State Senator ‘Deeply Disturbed’ by DFL Leader’s Threat to Cut Funding from County Over Refugees
A Minnesota senator said he is “deeply disturbed” by House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s (DFL-Golden Valley) threat to cut state aid from Beltrami County after it voted to opt out of refugee resettlement.
Read MoreDFL House Leader Threatens Minnesota County for Voting Against Refugee Resettlement
A high-ranking Minnesota lawmaker is threatening to withhold state aid from Beltrami County after it became the first county in the state to opt out of refugee resettlement.
Read MoreGov. Lee Visits Elizabethton College to Hand Out Cash, Finds Protest Over His Refugee Resettlement Decision
Gov. Bill Lee went to Elizabethton last week to tout a college grant. He got that and more — including a protest over his refugee plan.
Read MoreColumbus Dispatch Wants More Refugees in Ohio
The Columbus Dispatch wants Ohio to open the doors to more refugees.
Read MoreGov. Bill Lee Doubles Down on His Unpopular Decision to Bring More Refugees into Tennessee
Gov. Bill Lee doubled down on his controversial — and unpopular — decision to say yes, rather than no, to more refugees in Tennessee during an interview with Michael DelGiorno on his radio program Monday morning, heard on Nashville’s 99.7 WTN.
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: A Warning from Maine About the Taxpayers’ Role in Refugee Resettlement Programs
My home state has been ground zero for America’s failed, taxpayer abusive resettlement schemes for decades. Thousands of welfare dependent refugees, migrants, and illegal immigrants have been forced on our overburdened taxpayers in economically deprived cities, and the results have been disastrous. If Tennessee citizens fail to act, you will endure the same fate.
Read MoreGov. DeWine Tells Trump Administration to Bring on the Refugees, Despite Foreign-Born Residents in the State Having High Rate of TB
Gov. Mike DeWine’s Christmas gift to Ohio residents was a letter to the U.S. Department of State inviting refugees to keep on coming in, including from countries with “high burdens” of tuberculosis.
Read MoreOhio Refugee Resettlement Up 22 Percent Under Gov. Mike DeWine, Including Hundreds From Countries With ‘High Burdens’ of TB
Refugee resettlement in Ohio is up 22 percent under Gov. Mike DeWine, including hundreds from countries with “high burdens” of tuberculosis.
DeWine is one of more than 30 governors who have agreed to accept more refugees under a plan put forth by President Donald Trump in which a governor has to opt in for resettlement, the Associated Press reported.
Read MoreJudson Phillips Commentary: Keyboard Commandos and Gov. Lee’s Refugee Decision
On December 18, 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Tennessee would accept more refugees under President Trump’s executive order. As anyone paying attention might guess, that decision did not go over well with conservatives in Tennessee.
Read MoreMinnesota and Michigan Mayors Signed Letter Asking for Continued Refugee Resettlement
Dozens of mayors from across the country recently issued a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ask for continued refugee resettlement in their respective cities and townships.
Read MoreCenter for Immigration Studies’s Mark Krikorian Explains Legalities of Trump’s Refugee Executive Order
During a specific discussion Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.– Leahy welcomed Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian.
Read MoreConcerned Citizens: Leahy Takes Listener Calls and Breaks Down the Consequences of Governor Lee’s Refugee Stance
“So what the governor’s letter is going to do is make Tennessee a magnet. Tennessee will be a magnet for refugees,” host Michael Patrick Leahy told listeners Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am.
Read MoreTennessee’s Legal Counsel Asks Entire Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to Reconsider Dismissal of Challenge to Refugee Resettlement Program
The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) and Bursch Law PLLC filed a petition for rehearing by the entire Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals bench of a two-judge panel opinion dismissing Tennessee’s challenge to the constitutionality of the federal refugee resettlement program for lack of standing.
Read MoreTennessee General Assembly’s Legal Counsel Considers Next Step Now that Judge Dismisses Appeal to End Refugee Resettlement Program
The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected the State of Tennessee’s appeal in which the General Assembly sought to ban the federal government from forcing Tennessee to accept and fund a refugee resettlement program. A copy of the court’s ruling is available here. A federal judge…
Read MoreNew Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu Among Lone Republicans Left Standing
The blue wave made its way through New Hampshire Tuesday night when both U.S. House seats went to Democrats as well as both houses of the state legislature. Neither of the state’s U.S. senators, both Democrats, were up for reelection this year. The results left incumbent Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) among the…
Read MoreLancaster County Will Be Pennsylvania’s First Investigative Target Under New Program to Tackle Welfare Fraud
The Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced last week that they are joining forces to tackle welfare fraud, specifically food-stamp fraud. Commonly referred to as the food-stamp program, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has increasingly become a concern among law-enforcement officials.…
Read MoreBredesen’s History With Refugee Resettlement in Tennessee Consistent With Democrats in Congress Who Want Big Numbers Resettled in FY 2019
Right after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the FY2019 ceiling for refugee admissions would be no more than 30,000, Democrats in Congress flew into action and federal refugee resettlement contractors began objecting. On Thursday, 51 U.S. House Democrats, including Tennessee’s Steve Cohen, co-sponsored House Resolution 1073 calling for no…
Read MoreImmigrant Voting Base Was Top Priority For Karl Dean When He Was Mayor of Nashville
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean placed a high priority on meeting the needs of “new Americans” during his two terms as mayor of Nashville. Speaking forcefully against an English-first proposal to launching programs like “MyCity Academy” and “Pathway for New Americans,” Dean looked for ways to politically capture the support of…
Read MoreBredesen’s Bipartisan Policy Council Pushes Discredited Leftist Narrative That ‘Refugees Most Vetted Travelers to U.S.’
After serving his last term as governor of Tennessee, Bredesen dabbled in “partisan politicking” and working to help other Democrats get elected: As a loyal Democrat, Bredesen this year declared his support for President Obama’s re-election, endorsed the party’s 4th Congressional District nominee, Eric Stewart, and did “robo-calls” supporting…
Read MoreGov. Phil Bredesen Cut Elderly, Sick and Disabled From TennCare While Enrolling Refugees
Phil Bredesen, the health insurance executive turned governor, had an antidote to contain the spiraling costs of the state’s Medicaid program – disenroll elderly, sick and disabled Tennesseans from TennCare. According to Gordon Bonnyman, co-founder of the Tennessee Justice Center, two years into Bredesen’s first term as governor, “[a]pproximately 200,000…
Read MoreGov. Phil Bredesen Increased Refugee Resettlement in Tennessee by Thousands, Bringing Big Money to ‘Non-Profits’ Catholic Charities and World Relief
When he was governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011, Phil Bredesen set the state up to receive a dramatically higher number of refugees – an increase well into the thousands – bringing with it significant financial benefit to federal refugee contractors like Catholic Charities of Tennessee and World Relief.…
Read MoreCost for English Language Learner Services in Tennessee Public Schools Increases Over 100 Percent Since FY 2016
The cost to teach English to non-English speaking students in Tennessee public schools has increased over 100 percent since FY 2016. In FY 2016, the total cost for English Language Learner (ELL) services was $94,110,440. Seventy percent was funded through the state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) in the amount of $65,877,308,…
Read MoreAdvocates in Pennsylvania Want More Taxpayer Money to Educate Illegal Immigrant & Refugee Students
Philadelphia-based Education Law Center told the city’s School Reform Commission that immigrant students and English Language Learner students (EL), need expanded programming, “improved cultural competency” for teachers, more support for the parents of these students and greater access to vocational training programs. According to the Law Center, test results show that…
Read MorePhil Bredesen and Tyson Foods Helped Shelbyville Become an Employment Magnet For Somali Refugees
From the inception of the federal Refugee Admissions Program in 1980 until 2003, the first year of Phil Bredesen’s first term as governor of Tennessee, only a handful of Somali refugees were resettled in Tennessee by the federal government. That all changed in 2003. Between 2003 and 2011, Bredesen’s last…
Read MoreOff the Record: Tyson Foods Recycles a Smidge of Tennessee Taxpayer Money as Payback to Gibson County
Tyson CEO and President Tom Hayes was the BMOC (big man on campus) at the Humboldt plant ground-breaking on Wednesday when he promised a $500,000 kickback grant to Gibson County. But it’s not really a no-strings unconditional gift, nor is it really money from Tyson Foods’ pocket, is it Tom?…
Read MoreTennessee Forced to Deal With Ethnic Gangs So Federal Refugee Resettlement Contractors Can Profit
Refugee resettlement in Tennessee has brought sizable fiscal rewards for the federal contractors operating in Tennessee but along with helping to establish what former mayor Karl Dean celebrated as “growing enclaves of immigrants” has come Kurdish and Somali gangs from refugee groups brought to the state. In 2007, the New York…
Read MoreLeftist Diversity Agenda Drove Hiring of Kurdish Refugee Dismissed from Nashville Police Force for Gang Affiliation
Jiyayi Suleyman, a Kurdish refugee resettled in Nashville as a young child with his parents and siblings in 1991, was dismissed from the Metro Nashville Police force after it was discovered that “he lied on his application about who he was” and about his involvement with the Kurdish Pride Gang. Suleyman…
Read MoreDiane Black and State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver Urge Appeal of 10th Amendment Lawsuit Against Federal Refugee Resettlement Program
One year after Tennessee filed suit in federal court challenging the commandeering of state revenue by the federal government to fund its refugee resettlement program, Judge Stanley Thomas Anderson, ignored plaintiffs’ request for a hearing and dismissed the case. The court’s decision did not reach the substantive Tenth Amendment issue ruling…
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