Posted on 07/20/2014 1:00:04 PM PDT by John Semmens
In testimony before the Senate Budget Committee, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson shocked senators of both parties when he disclosed that it costs between $250 and $1,000 per day per person to house the illegal immigrants that have been surging across our border with Mexico.
"There was an audible gasp, a bipartisan gasp," Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) recounted. "I could take a luxurious Caribbean cruise every day of the year for a lower total cost. I cannot fathom why the spartan accommodations we are providing for these people should cost so much."
Senate Budget Committee chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash) questioned the applicability of Rubio's luxury cruise comparison. "While the amount may appear excessive to the untrained observer I'm sure there are unseen factors that we just don't realize," Murray presumed. "If Senator Rubio takes a cruise he makes all his own arrangements and may exert some judgment over whether the expenses are worth it. No such latitude is available for these refugees. Housing them is official government business entailing multiple layers of authority and decision making. Who are we to second guess what they do?"
Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) was one of the few that weren't shocked by the expense. "We pay upwards of $50,000 per year for each prison inmate," he pointed out. "Let's face it, government housing is expensive."
Housing prisoners at $50,000 per inmate per year comes to around $140 per day—far lower than DHS's estimate for housing the immigrants. "You've got to remember that the budgets for prisons aren't arrived at in a panic situation," Johnson said. "There's time to reflect on what might be the most cost-effective methods. The urgency of the immigration crisis eliminates the opportunity to pursue issues of efficiency. It's Congress's duty to appropriate whatever amount the President has requested to handle this emergency."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi suggested that "the high cost of housing these immigrants could be averted if we make use of the vast inventory of unused housing that exists in this country. How many American families have more room than they need? Can't some of this space be made available on an emergency basis?"
Pelosi said she was unsure of how to make unused housing available but speculated that "President Obama could issue an Executive Order compelling home owners to provide access to their excess capacity. We could look at a home's square footage and number of rooms, compare that to census data on who currently lives there and make a determination of which homes can take in some of the refugees."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concurred in Pelosi's assessment noting that "the typical American family has far more living room than the refugees that need to be accommodated. Simple equity demands that this excess be shared among these less fortunate people."
In related news, the New York City Council announced it is prepared to grant citizenship to up to 500,000 illegal immigrants. Mayor Bill de Blasio called the passage of this ordinance "a proud day for our City. While Congress may be too indifferent to act in this time of emergency I'm pleased to see that New Yorkers have stepped in to fill the void. And with the documents we will be giving these immigrants there will be nothing to stop them from enjoying the full fruits of living in America no matter where they choose to go."
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news/semi-satire posts you can find them at...
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Opinion/159834-2014-07-20-semi-news-a-satire-of-recent-news-july-20-2014.htm
Well, they got all that ammo just gathering dust.
Just sayin’.
“an audible gasp, a bipartisan gasp’
Funny. The libtard gasp would be that they thought it wasn’t enough to spend and we need to tax the rich conservatives more!
Stun? How about the stunning fact that our borders are open to any and everyone no matter their intentions on our country?
Let's hear from the nanny state prohibitionists crying about supporting welfare peeps smoking pot again.
Like
Best satire so far this season John.
Nicely done, John.
Sen. Murray: “Housing them is official government business entailing multiple layers of authority and decision making. Who are we to second guess what they do?”
Yeah, you’re right senator — you’re only a member of our elected government charged with something called “oversight”. Why don’t you just retire to your home state. The average IQ of the senate would bump up noticeably.
You first pig lousy and all the rat critters in congress. Good one again John.
they certainly dont use much more than One Percent..Of Their Brains... do they!!
“I could take a luxurious Caribbean cruise every day of the year for a lower total cost. I cannot fathom why the spartan accommodations we are providing for these people should cost so much.”
Nothing happens at Federal level without someone’s pockets getting filled.
Just for perspective, the best skilled nursing home in our area where my mother currently resides has a list price of $255 per day.
This one isn’t satire, John. It’s real
I can’t see a single item of your article that would fall under our Constitution.
Thank You, John for this article!
“Housing them is official government business entailing multiple layers of authority and decision making. Who are we to second guess what they do?”
One could replace the word “housing” with a multiple of words and it would be the same; and account for the billions and billions of wasted dollars.
Health care, the environment, welfare, farm subsidies, etc.
Hard to believe the spawn of Cong Nancy Pelosi--- she, a true govt altruist exempted from insider trading laws, w/ oodles of "inside information" WRT govt spending via Congressional action----he, starts an investment company at the same time Obama was blanketing tax dollars on "highly successful" greeen firms---like Solyndra? (cackle)
===========================
Company Cofounded by Paul Pelosi Jr. Charged with Securities Fraud
The Washington Free Beacon ^ | 07-17-2014 | Elizabeth Harrington / FR Posted by Kevin in California
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a company cofounded by Paul Pelosi Jr. with fraud on Wednesday after learning that two convicted criminals were running the business.
Paul Pelosi Jr., the son of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Dummocrat-Calif), was the president and chief operating officer of Natural Blue Resources Inc., an investment company he cofounded that focuses on “environmentally-friendly” ventures.
DEBLOBIO STRIKES AGAIN: NY City launches program to help Queens trafficking victims come out of the shadows
NY Daily News ^ | July 17, 2014 | ELI ROSENBERG / FR Posted EinNYC
Human trafficking victims now have another reason to come out of the darkness. The city will provide foreign-born sex trafficking victims in Queens free lawyers to help them navigate available pathways to citizenship, officials announced Thursday.
Six pro-bono attorneys will be on hand at Queens Family Justice Center in Kew Gardens, for one day a week, as part of a pilot program launched through the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence and advocacy groups. The lawyers will determine if undocumented victims qualify for asylum or visas — available to some who agree to help law enforcement find traffickers or other perpetrators.
It's an important part of preventing future crimes, advocates say. "The lack of immigration status leaves so many immigrants vulnerable to trafficking," said Melissa Brennan, an attorney with nonprofit Sanctuary for Families, which helped create the pilot. "Victims often feel if they go to police, they will be deported," she added. "We're empowering them with the knowledge that this is not the case."
Queens is a hotbed in the city for various forms of trafficking, advocates say. More than 56% of citywide sex trafficking victims have sought services in the borough, city officials said. ####
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