HUMANE ASSIMILATION of SYRIAN REFUGEES WHILE PROTECTING AMERICANS

The Syrian refugee crisis is the most important moral challenge my generation (I am 68) has faced.  The issue is defined by partisans as a tradeoff between protecting American lives and greater humanitarianism.  Only the Obamas, the Clintons and Jeh Johnson’s (Secretary of Homeland Security)  of the country are willing to place the welfare of non-citizens (refugees) over the welfare of our citizens and understand if ISIS infiltrates the refugees and causes casualties in our population, these narcissistic, malicious folks will blame anyone else (There might still be time to blame Bush).  But, can Americans turn these very innocent people (most) away to death or suffering?  That is a painful, important question.  It is easier to say (and I am guilty of this) to a faceless group, “tough luck.”  It is another thing to see close up a terrified kid, or adult and condemn that person to death.

We can both protect Americans and provide the refugees a better and safer life than they will have ever known in Syria.  We should accept the refugees with these priorities beginning with the most important:

A) Safety of American Citizens;

B) Humane treatment of the refugees;

C) Preparing the refugees for a productive life upon their assimilation into American society;

D)   Achieve the above at the lowest cost possible.

Before beginning, the Left must acknowledge that from the moment the refugees step on our shores their lives will have a future brighter and safer than they would ever have enjoyed in their homeland.  No comparisons to how the Nazis treated the Jews or the genocide in the Congo.  The press must loudly (ideally with pressure from the Left) vilify any speaker who violates this “compact.”  This renders criticism of our good faith processing of the refugees a non-discussion. The Left and the Right will not berate the process or American citizens (given that we are racist and all those awful things) while this endeavor is undertaken unless ineptitude or unprofessional conduct compromise the process.  The following, with planning from people much more skilled than I, will work.

1) All refugees move straight from the ship to confinement.  None will be free to roam.  The arrangements will not be an honor camp.  The facilities will have a secure perimeter.  My guess is that Obama’s lack of interest in a strong military over seven years provides numerous military compounds that can be used with minimal modification.  When I was in the military (not cruel and unusual punishment) the typical facility housed a “company” consisting of numerous barracks and a “mess” hall (dining area).  This combination of facilities is very functional.  Refugees will staff the dining area and kitchen; no government employees though the military might be used for start-up and training.

Again, repudiate allegations that these arrangements are “concentration camps.”  We will not be gassing, starving or incinerating the refugees. Any suggestion that anything we do smacks of those atrocities should be met with ferocious rebuke.  Remember that already their lives are better than they were from whence they fled.  By statute there will be no venue for the ACLU, Amnesty International or the World Court or any immigrant advocacy group to allege cruel and unusual punishment or involuntary servitude.

2) Criminal or defiant activity leads to deportation...to Syria, no appeal, as do results of vetting that suggest the individual is dangerous to our society - criteria designed to err in favor of American citizen safety if it errs at all.

3) The refugees will be supplied with medical, food, clothing, everything they need to survive and be healthy.  They will support themselves in food preparation, laundry, sanitation (perhaps after some training)  and facilities and grounds maintenance.

4) The “fit” refugees will rebuild our infrastructure - bridges, highways, parks -  an endeavor the leftists want to manage with “prevailing wage” Union labor. Just ask Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.  That means “union jobs.”  In the 1930’s Franklin D. Roosevelt built much infrastructure with the “Civilian Conservation Corps,” or “CCC.”  This work is not “involuntary servitude.”  It is public service performed by well fed and cared for non-citizens whose work will offset much of the cost of their care and processing. During the CCC years the men (yes that was the gender, though women may choose to perform labor in this process) had no means at all for caring for their families and this gave them the means.  That is exactly what this assimilation process will accomplish. The unions, Clinton, Sanders and Obama will shriek but keep the objective in focus.  The objective is the humane treatment and eventual assimilation of  the refugees not the furtherance of labor greed and bloating of government entitlements (to care for the refugees).  Additionally, this work will teach the refugees some skills for labor they may perform after being released from confinement.

5) While confined and being processed, the refugees will be taught English.  Not Spanish, not Arabic...English.  This is the language they will use to thrive in their new land.  That they may choose to speak their native language among each other, business with Americans will be conducted in English. They will be taught our culture and learn that while they are free to practice their culture and religion (in non-destructive ways) we will not change ours to their cultural or religious dictates or allow theirs to govern the assimilation process.  Those who may wish to be citizens one day (those who don’t may be issued work visas) may receive education on our constitution and the American judicial and economic systems.

6)   While confinement and processing should not be a social experiment the refugees may be taught representative government to the degree that each group has some discretion in managing its own barracks and “elected” representatives from each group can work with U.S. officials on the needs, interests and future of the refugees. They will not set policy and practice but may affect it. The leaders may also be able to assist or support the processing of their group.

7) Jeh Johnson, the Homeland Security Secretary, who should be fired as soon as the next president is elected, will be instructed to thoroughly vet every refugee, including women and children, in one year, not the two he claims is necessary.  He will instruct his staff that they are much luckier than the refugees they are serving and they will work tirelessly to vet the refugees.  No negotiation.  The alternative will be contracting out this process.  Obama may provide him additional staff from other agencies (with no new hires) Obama, Clinton and Johnson (the latter is not involved in the VA) are the very people who have tolerated Vet suffering rather than replace the VA (Department of Veterans; Affairs) with an outside organization whose employees are more interested in the Vets than they are their own pensions. Self-serving bureaucrats will not manage or staff the project.

8) The default for non-compliant refugees is deportation.  This does not mean the sick or injured or aged; it means the non-cooperatives, those who do not pass vetting or who are defiant.  There is no appeal, no trial by jury.  They are simply gone on the orders of perhaps a panel of two or three professionals  who are non-partisan. The professionals preferably should NOT be from the legal profession. Their banner will read, “our first priority is the security of American Citizens.”  The names of the panel members will be public information.

9) Upon release there are no reparations as we gave to the Japanese (I disagreed with Bush Senior who did this but the difference is that the Japanese were citizens; the refugees are not; and for the third time stated in this blog, this begins a better life for them than they could have dreamed about in Syria.) If some start-up cash is advisable on their admission into American society...okay.

10) Again, the refugees are not citizens and there will be no path to automatic citizenship.  Their children will not be automatic citizens whether born before or after arrival..  When and if the parents become citizens, the minor children will as well. Otherwise the children, when they reach majority may apply in their own name for citizenship.  Refugees who choose to apply for citizenship will not be placed ahead of any other applicant (i.e. immigrants from other countries).  Before their attaining citizenship they do not receive welfare, medical aid or food stamps, except while confined. Upon completion of processing and before citizenship, the refugees will seek (with public help) individual sponsors.  Gauging by the public moaning of immigrant organizations who are already claiming we are reverting to slavery mentality, refugees should be able to  find sponsors.  The sponsors will pay the continuing tab for subsistence and medical care, if needed.  Sponsors will raise private funding and will not be subsidized by the government and the sponsors will have the right to set requirements for sponsorship (not religious religious though a potential faith-based sponsor may decline to participate). If the path to citizenship must be defined to be many years to make sure the majority of the refugees fully assimilate and are productive, so be it.  The point is the refugees have an unusual chance at a new and better life, but may not be a financial or law enforcement burden to America.

The end result, to be cliche, is win/win.  America has much of its infrastructure rebuilt at reasonable cost.  We meet or exceed all standards of humanitarianism.  We gain thousands of new and very welcome, productive members of our population who have a different and fascinating culture.  This takes time and cost but places us out front in the world in terms of helping those most in need while protecting our citizens and doing all of this at minimum cost.

If the refugees, with ISIS infiltrees are let in this country with no control or extensive vetting and the infiltrees kill Americans, I believe the government officials (or employees) responsible are guilty of treason and failure to uphold the oath of office. The punishment for treason can be death and I support that punishment. I do not expect zero defects but the responsible officials will have no doubt about the priority of American lives and will have access to all relevant tools to vet the refugees.

NOTE that I composed this after a lengthy discussion with my wife (and editor) who said it would be unforgivable for this country to allow these people to die, even at some risk to this country.  I was not sure I would have a house to come home to unless I gave this post careful thought!