The Houghtonian Magazine Vol 2 Issue 3 - Houghton-le-Spring

in this author’s opinion, to expand the internationally recognized definition of theword “refugee” and apply it to anyone attempting to escape crime in their home country.One can readily see that such an expansion of the definition would open usup to claims for asylum from all over the world--- requiring us to open our doors wideto those fearing basic criminal activity absent persecution---where their own governmentwas unable or unwilling to protect them.In addition to expanding the definition of “refugee,” for the purposes of thisreport, one must be increasingly concerned with the OTMs (Other than Mexicans)crossing the border along with the “children.” Indeed there are reports of Somaliyoung men and women who cross the border and request asylum after making a journeythat included stops in Russia and Cuba before reaching Central America; onewonders where they obtained the huge sums of money needed for a journey of thatlength and who was instructing them when they reached the US border.O T H E R L E G A L A V E N U E S F O R M U S L I M M I G R A T I O N T OA M E R I C AThere are also myriad other legal opportunities to get into the US. There arevisa programs, most notably student visas, tourist visas and investor visas (oftenabused by foreign nationals who get a foot in the door with such a visa and then filefor asylum). But, you should know that among the top LEGAL avenues for permanentMuslim immigrant status (besides Refugee Resettlement) are the Diversity VisaLottery and, to a lesser degree, a program called, ironically, Temporary Protected Status,that is anything but temporary.Please have a look at the most recent 50,000 lucky winners of the DiversityVisa Lottery (often referred to as the Green Card lottery) and be prepared to bestunned at the number of Muslim countries on the list. Among the FY2015 “winners”are 517 Saudis. 10Those investor visas are also something that must be taken into greater considerationbecause evidence is building that some of the foreign nationals from Islamiccountries who purchase small grocery stores and gas stations are funneling moneyout of the US through widespread fraud in our Supplemental Nutritional AssistanceProgram (food stamp system).10 US State Department, DV2015 Selected Entrants,http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/dv-2015-selected-entrants.html17