Refugee situation…

Dear Editor,

This letter is regarding your stand on the refugee situation.

First of all, I found it very interesting that you printed only one letter opposed to letting them into our country. The letter from Rachel Castor, regarding white American Christian males, I would like to know where she got her facts, to base that on.

We can no longer open our borders to any refugees. We can’t take care of the people that are here. What it comes down to is this:

1. Take care of the people that are here.

2. Get our debt paid for.

3. Stop going to war in countries that hate us and do not want us there.

There are amazing people in every country. They need to stay there and work to improve the conditions for their fellow countrymen.

If the information in this paper is based on fact, then you tell me what percentage of refugees come to our country and get jobs and pay taxes.

Oh, by the way, thank you Governor Otter and our commissioners. Thank you!

Linda Nemec
Ponderay

Linda, thank you for writing. First of all, I’d like to take this opportunity to clear something up about our letters to the editor policy that seems to be misunderstood. You seem to be insinuating that because we only ran one letter opposed to refugee resettlement that we are somehow editing out letters that we don’t agree with. Quite the contrary. We run every letter that comes in meeting our criteria (under 400 words and not containing profanity or libelous material). If only one letter was published in opposition to refugee resettlement it was because only one letter was written and sent to us. Letters to the editor are a service a newspaper gives to the community to allow residents to sound off about important issues without involving the editorial department. We never refuse to publish a letter if it differs with our editorial policy, only if it doesn’t meet our word limit and profanity/libel clause.

In answer to your question, I called Mark Kadel, the Director of World Relief in Spokane (a refugee resettlement organization). I asked Mark about the success rates he has had with refugees finding jobs and paying taxes. He responded with this statement:

“All refugees that are of employable age receive thorough orientations before being accepted into our Federal Refugee Resettlement Program that they will be required to obtain employment as soon as possible upon arrival. Any public assistance refugees receive is temporary and for those without children, assistance ends after 8 months in the US. World Relief and other refugee resettlement agencies have staff who focus on assisting refugees find viable employment in the city they are resettled. Nationally, refugees spend the least amount of time on any public assistance than any other people group. (Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR). As for refugees resettled in Spokane, our employment programs work very hard to assist refugees in becoming financially self-sufficient through gainful employment. Our main employment Match Grant program is 100% successful in helping refugees find jobs and becoming financially independent within the first six months of arrival. Our other employment programs for those who are not as easily placed due to language or medical issues, are also 100% successful, but it usually takes more time for successful placement.”

–Mark Kadal
Director
World Relief Spokane