State Dept. Announces ANOTHER Expansion of Central American Refugee Program

Brittany M. Hughes | January 13, 2016
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The Obama administration announced an expansion of the U.S. Refugee Program for “refugees” from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala on Wednesday, claiming that the enlarged initiative will make it safer – and easier – for people from these Central American countries to get to the United States.

And just to be clear, that’s on top of the some 10,000 Syrian refugees President Obama has vowed to take in over the next year.

From the State Department’s press release Wednesday:

Secretary Kerry was pleased to announce today that we will further expand the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to help vulnerable families and individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, offering a safe and legal alternative to the dangerous and irregular journey many are currently taking in the hands of human smugglers.


Just who are these folks that suddenly qualify for the refugee program? Well, since you asked...

We will collaborate with UNHCR and its NGO partners to identify persons in need of refugee protection – people targeted by criminal gangs, human rights defenders who have been targeted, and others. We also continue to explore additional options, including for those who may be at imminent risk of harm.



So in order to expand the program, the Obama administration relies heavily on the presumption that anyone who might live in a problem area is, in fact, a refugee.

The problem is that according to the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which defines the term “refugee” under federal law, they’re not.

Here’s what the law actually says:

The term “refugee” means (A) any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Just to cover all our bases, here’s a few things the law doesn’t say: that the term refugee also widely applies to a person who…

…lives in a country whose economy isn’t as good as the one in the United States.

…is looking for a job.

…has a family member in the United States.

…doesn’t want to risk life and limb trying to get to the United States illegally.

…has a crime problem in their area.

…heard that if they get to the United States, they can stay.

…may help the president unilaterally check an agenda item off his political to-do list.

In one final kicker, the Obama administration promised to protect the interests of American citizens while backhandedly trying to portray anyone who disagrees into a humanity-hating supervillain – all without mentioning the price tag for the new program expansion, or the number of "refugees" that will be allowed into the country under the new system:

The United States has always been a leader in humanitarian assistance and refugee resettlement. On resettlement, our admissions process is rigorous and deliberate, and we prioritize the need to safeguard national security and public safety, as we seek to fulfill our moral responsibility to help those in need.

Today’s new commitment is yet another indication that the U.S. will continue to be a leader in helping to protect the world’s most vulnerable refugees through resettlement efforts, while ensuring the security of our nation is preserved.

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