A decade ago, Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman remarked that, "It's just obvious that you can't have free immigration and a welfare state." Well, of course it's obvious, except to leftists, Congresscritters, and some rich folks who want cheap nannies, gardeners, and construction workers. The meaning of free immigration is less obvious. You might think that it means allowing people to cross our border freely under their own steam. You're probably unaware that our welfare state is searching for new clients in the third world and giving them a free ride to America.
As Dave Barry would say, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP! You needn't take my word for it. Through the miracle of Al Gore's Internet, I can actually show you proof. So finish wiping up that coffee you just spat all over your screen and follow along.
Somewhere in the labyrinths of the U.S. Government, there's a guy whom we could grab by his lapels and ask, "Hey! How much are y'all spending to import third world refugees?" Of course, finding that guy and getting a straight answer from him would probably take more than one lifetime. So I've had to take an indirect approach: find NGOs that sponsor or subsidize refugees and see how much of their funding comes from Uncle Sugar. This is easier because private tax-exempt organizations, unlike governments, have to obey laws that require them to make their financial records public. My list is by no means complete, but it is instructive.
According to its 2004 IRS Form 990 (tax return for private charities) on file at GuideStar, the International Rescue Committee received $88,346,729 (44.9%) of its $196,566,342 contributions from the federal government.
The 2005 annual report of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops office of Migration and Refugee Services may be found here in PDF format. The actual numbers are on page sixteen. In 2005, MRS spent nearly 44 million bucks to help settle third world refugees and immigrants (mostly illegal, no doubt) in the U.S. More than 39 million dollars (89.2%) of that 44 million came from the federal government.
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service shows a summary of its 2004 annual report which states that $20,945,300 (89.5%) of its $23,302,436 funding came from the federal government.
The Church World Service got only $24,172,542 (27.2%) of its $89,031,898 funding from the government in 2005. Still, 24 million bucks is a nice chunk of change.
In 2005, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants received $16,905,312 (92.1%) of its $18,352,000 contributions from the federal government.
In 2005, the American Refugee Committee received $16,413,492 (61.8%)of its $26,541,186 contributions from the federal government.
In 2004, Shelter For Life International received $11,155,077 (91.3%) of its $12,215,813 total contributions from the federal government.
In 2004, the New York Association for New Americans received $7,416,611 (63.7%) of its $11,642,089 contributions from the federal government. Of course, $3,070,315 of its contributions are listed as "Indirect Public Support," which might mean that it was donated by other NGOs that got the money from the government.
In 2005, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a.k.a. HIAS Inc., received $7,069,318 (51.9%) of its $13,630,235 contributions from the federal government.
According to its 2004 Form 990, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., a.k.a. CLINIC, which presumably assists Catholic illegal immigrants in bogging down our immigration courts, received $357,656 (apparently just 10%) of its $3,564,365 contributions from the federal government. CLINIC, however, is a special case, having received $1,745,894 from the Catholic bishops' Migration and Refugee Services, mentioned above. About 89.2% of that $1,745,894 came from the government indirectly, so CLINIC really got $1,914,320, or 53.7% of its contributions from Uncle Sugar.
In 2004, Ecumenical Refugee Services, Inc. received $1,147,967 (97.7%) of its $1,175,468 contributions from the federal government.
In 2004, the Refugee Women's Network, Inc. received $558,153 (82.7%) of its $674,879 contributions from the federal government.
So there you have a sample of a dozen NGOs either bringing third worlders to the U.S., or helping them once they're here. With two exceptions, all of these outfits get more than half of their funds from the government. Half of the NGOs get more than 80% of their funds from the government, and a quarter get more than 90%. If you're out of work but live in a gated community, you might want to get into the refugee business.
Hey! It's a free country! Unless you're an American taxpayer who'd rather decide how to direct his charitable contributions himself, of course.
The table below summarizes the figures given above in order by the amount of government contributions.
| Organization | Private Funding | Gov't Funding | Total Funding | %Gov't Funded | Source |
| International Rescue Committee | 108,219,613 | 88,346,729 | 196,566,342 | 44.9% | 2004 Form 990 |
| USCCB MRS | 4,767,870 | 39,221,971 | 43,989,841 | 89.2% | 2005 Annual Report |
| Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service | 2,457,136 | 20,845,300 | 23,302,436 | 89.5% | 2004 Annual Report |
| Church World Service | 64,859,356 | 24,172,542 | 89,031,898 | 27.2% | 2005 Form 990 |
| U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants | 1,446,688 | 16,905,312 | 18,352,000 | 92.1% | 2005 Form 990 |
| American Refugee Committee | 10,127,694 | 16,413,492 | 26,541,186 | 61.8% | 2005 Form 990 |
| Shelter for Life International | 1,060,736 | 11,155,077 | 12,215,813 | 91.3% | 2004 Form 990 |
| New York Association for New Americans | 4,225,478 | 7,416,611 | 11,642,089 | 63.7% | 2004 Form 990 |
| HIAS Inc. | 6,560,917 | 7,069,318 | 13,630,235 | 51.9% | 2005 Form 990 |
| Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. | 1,650,045 | 1,914,320 | 3,564,365 | 53.7% | 2004 Form 990 & AR |
| Ecumenical Refugee Services, Inc. | 27,501 | 1,147,967 | 1,175,468 | 97.7% | 2004 Form 990 |
| Refugee Women's Network, Inc. | 116,726 | 558,153 | 674,879 | 82.7% | 2004 Form 990 |
5 comments:
Why is the federal government making donations to religious organizations in the first place? Come to think of it, when did the government decide that it had the right to give my tax dollars to ANY foreign country?
I think I'm going to become non-compliant with the IRS. I'm moving and leaving no forwarding address. Or, perhaps, I'll just change my name to Maria Garcia.
You make an excellent point, trish. In the 19th century, it was understood that the Constitution did not empower Congress to operate any sort of charity. Donations to religious organizations could be regarded as a violation of the 1st amendment's establishment of religion clause. Of course, you'll never see the ACLU file a suit against fellow multiculturalists.
Wow! I'm so glad I found you. People are having problems with Refugee Resettlement everywhere. When you get the govt. guy by the lapels ask him if he has a death wish for America. Muslims make up 50% of the refugees resettled each year by these church groups!
It wouldn't be that bad if the immigrants were a) coming here on their own without my tax dollars to help and b) had intentions of integrating into the culture.
Since neither of those conditions applies to many immigrants, I'm irritated.
Excellent post! I'll call it to the attention of Refugee Resettlement Watch.
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