Would You Welcome The Refugee Children To Your State/City?

[pbrauer]

Here is a story about Portland, Oregon mayor Charlie Hales:

PORTLAND – Portland Mayor Charlie Hales personally backed Gov. Kitzhaber’s position on welcoming refugee children to the state Wednesday.

Last week, Oregon took in 50 immigrant kids who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, supporting them as they await legal proceedings.

Kitzhaber said he welcomed the children with open arms. Senator Jeff Merkley also supported the governor's position.

On Wednesday, Hales weighed in.

“Immigration is a federal issue. The City of Portland has no official position on this topic,” he said. “But I’m not just a mayor. I’m a father. And speaking as a father, I stand with Gov. John Kitzhaber and welcome these refugee children to Oregon.”

Hales said that turning away the kids wouldn’t align with the spirit of Portland or Oregon.

“Oregon has been a welcoming home to unaccompanied minors and refugee children, and will continue to be so while we wait on Congress to adopt more responsible immigration policies," Hales said.
More than 200 kids have been taken to Washington state. California has seen over 3,000.
The issue has sparked Portland rallies from both sides of the debate.​

Hales: ‘I welcome refugee children to Oregon’

 

[TheDemSocialist]

Absolutely. Its inhumane to turn refugees away.

 

[tres borrachos]

Here is a story about Portland, Oregon mayor Charlie Hales:

PORTLAND – Portland Mayor Charlie Hales personally backed Gov. Kitzhaber’s position on welcoming refugee children to the state Wednesday.

Last week, Oregon took in 50 immigrant kids who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, supporting them as they await legal proceedings.

Kitzhaber said he welcomed the children with open arms. Senator Jeff Merkley also supported the governor's position.

On Wednesday, Hales weighed in.

“Immigration is a federal issue. The City of Portland has no official position on this topic,” he said. “But I’m not just a mayor. I’m a father. And speaking as a father, I stand with Gov. John Kitzhaber and welcome these refugee children to Oregon.”

Hales said that turning away the kids wouldn’t align with the spirit of Portland or Oregon.

“Oregon has been a welcoming home to unaccompanied minors and refugee children, and will continue to be so while we wait on Congress to adopt more responsible immigration policies," Hales said.
More than 200 kids have been taken to Washington state. California has seen over 3,000.
The issue has sparked Portland rallies from both sides of the debate.​

Hales: ‘I welcome refugee children to Oregon’

Not sure I understand what "welcome" them means. Does that mean as opposed to objecting to them coming to my state? I wouldn't object to anyone coming to my state as long as the person wasn't a danger to anyone. Do I want them in my home? No.

As long as the state has a place for them, what difference would it make to me?

 

[Muhammed]

I don't think it is good policy to welcome invaders.

 

[clownboy]

Well it seems my state and specifically that idiot mayor of Portland and our moron of a governor already made the choice for us. That's not news, they welcome illegals all the time up here. We have quite a thriving population of them as it is. Of course they don't stay in Portland, that's where all the folks too weird for even the weirdos are. They come on out to the other Metro areas and set up shop.

 

[clownboy]

Absolutely. Its inhumane to turn refugees away.

And since they are not refugees that makes the comment superfluous.

 

[DA60]

If you start allowing refugees for sentimental reasons, then the world will pick up on that and flood America with many times the present number of refugee children.

And many of them will die in the attempt.

 

[PoS]

Not sure I understand what "welcome" them means.

It means a parade in which they are a guest of honor and they sit on the float and you run up to them with a bouquet of flowers followed by a donation of food and a money order of about $1000 and finally the mayor pins a medal on them and they give a speech before they settle down in their new house right next to yours. :2razz:

 

[Master PO]

ref·u·gee
ˌrefyo͝oˈjē,ˈrefyo͝oˌjē/
noun
noun: refugee; plural noun: refugees

a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
"tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes"
synonyms: émigré, fugitive, exile, displaced person, asylum seeker; More

 

[Master PO]

8 U.S. Code § 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens


a) Criminal penalties
(1)
(A) Any person who—
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether such alien has received prior official authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any future official action which may be taken with respect to such alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law; or
(v)
(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,
shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) A person who violates subparagraph (A) shall, for each alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs—
(i) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i) or (v)(I) or in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii), or (iv) in which the offense was done for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both;
(ii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii), (iv), or (v)(II), be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both;
(iii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v) during and in relation to which the person causes serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of title 18) to, or places in jeopardy the life of, any person, be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(iv) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v) resulting in the death of any person, be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined under title 18, or both.
(C) It is not a violation of clauses [1] (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (A), or of clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) except where a person encourages or induces an alien to come to or enter the United States, for a religious denomination having a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the United States, or the agents or officers of such denomination or organization, to encourage, invite, call, allow, or enable an alien who is present in the United States to perform the vocation of a minister or missionary for the denomination or organization in the United States as a volunteer who is not compensated as an employee, notwithstanding the provision of room, board, travel, medical assistance, and other basic living expenses, provided the minister or missionary has been a member of the denomination for at least one year.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324

 

[American]

Absolutely. Its inhumane to turn refugees away.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

I do think of the children and many do as well.

 

[faithful_servant]

Absolutely. Its inhumane to turn refugees away.

It's also irresponsible to support the efforts of parents to abandon their children. While we should be making sure that these kids are taken care of, a BIG part of the effort should be focused on reuniting them with their families and making a HIGHLY public denouncement of these parents efforts to abandon their children. If you had a neighbor who was poor and one morning you woke up to find three of their kids sleeping on the floor in guest bedroom, would you just take them in and make them a part of your family or would you find out why they were there and what needed to happen to help the family be able to support them (after making sure that they were fed, clothed, clean)??

 

[faithful_servant]

I don't think it is good policy to welcome invaders.

These aren't invaders, they are kids who were abandoned by their parents...

 

[American]

I do think of the children and many do as well.

I suppose you missed the sarcasm. Hopefully these children are treated and returned back to their parents.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

It's also irresponsible to support the efforts of parents to abandon their children. While we should be making sure that these kids are taken care of, a BIG part of the effort should be focused on reuniting them with their families and making a HIGHLY public denouncement of these parents efforts to abandon their children. If you had a neighbor who was poor and one morning you woke up to find three of their kids sleeping on the floor in guest bedroom, would you just take them in and make them a part of your family or would you find out why they were there and what needed to happen to help the family be able to support them (after making sure that they were fed, clothed, clean)??

If they are going to be returned to a area in the world where violence is a everyday thing, they are in danger of being forced to join a gang, or be a victim of trafficking they should be granted refugee status here.

 

[Muhammed]

These aren't invaders, they are kids who were abandoned by their parents...

:roll::lol:

"Kids who were abandoned by their parents" and "invaders" are not mutually exclusive terms.

 

[faithful_servant]

:roll::lol:

"Kids who were abandoned by their parents" and "invaders" are not mutually exclusive terms.

Really??? Invaders are trying to take over something, these kids are just being abandoned by their parents. Demonizing them does no one any good. What we need to be doing to being very outspoken about the immorality of abandoning your children and demanding that the nations they come from start doing something to prevent it from happening and to change the circumstances that make this a viable option for those parents. IOW - FIX THE PROBLEM!!! Don't just decide that it's not your problem and try to sweep the issue under the rug and don't do stupid crap that does nothing but encourage this to continue. We need a solution, not rhetoric, not political grandstanding, but an actual solution that addresses the root of the problem..

 

[ecofarm]

What we need to be doing to being very outspoken about the immorality of abandoning your children...

Is it really immoral to attempt a better life for ones children? Clearly, the parents that sent them felt life in America would be better than anything they could provide.

If I had kids and was living in a craphole, I can see doing everything I can to get them out of hell and to America, where they'd stand a chance of a decent life.

 

[clownboy]

These aren't invaders, they are kids who were abandoned by their parents...

They're not that either, do you seriously think the coyotes delivered them to the border for free?

 

[shavingcollywob]

Here is a story about Portland, Oregon mayor Charlie Hales:

PORTLAND – Portland Mayor Charlie Hales personally backed Gov. Kitzhaber’s position on welcoming refugee children to the state Wednesday.

Last week, Oregon took in 50 immigrant kids who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, supporting them as they await legal proceedings.

Kitzhaber said he welcomed the children with open arms. Senator Jeff Merkley also supported the governor's position.

On Wednesday, Hales weighed in.

“Immigration is a federal issue. The City of Portland has no official position on this topic,” he said. “But I’m not just a mayor. I’m a father. And speaking as a father, I stand with Gov. John Kitzhaber and welcome these refugee children to Oregon.”

Hales said that turning away the kids wouldn’t align with the spirit of Portland or Oregon.

“Oregon has been a welcoming home to unaccompanied minors and refugee children, and will continue to be so while we wait on Congress to adopt more responsible immigration policies," Hales said.
More than 200 kids have been taken to Washington state. California has seen over 3,000.
The issue has sparked Portland rallies from both sides of the debate.​

Hales: ‘I welcome refugee children to Oregon’

Accepting 50 kids is a nice gesture (and great PR!) but let's keep in mind Portland, OR is 1,600+ miles away from the US/Mexican border and isn't really dealing with illegal immigration in the same way that Texas or Arizona is. Maybe those states should ship a few hundred thousand illegal immigrants Portland's way.

 

[clownboy]

Is it really immoral to attempt a better life for ones children? Clearly, the parents that sent them felt life in America would be better than anything they could provide.

If I had kids and was living in a craphole, I can see doing everything I can to get them out of hell and to America, where they'd stand a chance of a decent life.

Except, for the umpteenth time, why America? Why not Venezuela the socialist paradise, or any of the other, much closer Central and South American nations? That way they wouldn't have to pay coyotes to move them.

 

[Kal'Stang]

No. Because they are not refugees. To think that some of those kids, which are under 10 years old, made a 1000+ mile trek all by themselves without some sort of supervision and therefore are "unattended" is actually an insult to peoples intelligence. They came here with help. Which means they are not and never were unattended. (except maybe for the last 1/4 mile so the perps wouldn't get caught). Send them back.

 

[Kreton]

If they are going to be returned to a area in the world where violence is a everyday thing, they are in danger of being forced to join a gang, or be a victim of trafficking they should be granted refugee status here.

this.

 

[Cephus]

Nope, I do not welcome illegal aliens, regardless of age. Send them all back across the border and let them do it the legal way.