Anti-Refugee Resolution proposed to St. Croix County Board
Sometime during the Holiday Season of 2023, Lisa Lind, Supervisor #1 circulated an anti-refugee resolution to all supervisors in St. Croix County. The resolution was sent to the Administration Committee for a vote on Tuesday, January 16th at 5:00 PM. If passed, the resolution will move to the full Board for a vote. Please join us in opposing this resolution.
What You Can Do
Show up at the meeting on Tuesday, January 16th and listen and/or share your perspective. Just your presense can make a big difference. There will be a public input section at the beginning of the meeting. You may choose to speak by completing an information sheet. We ask that you email Board members to communicate your disapproval of this anti-refugee resolution.
The email addresses are at the end of this blog post and also on a separate blog post.
Our thoughts on this Anti-Refugee Resolution:
The St. Croix County Board has no authority or decision-making power to monitor, act, limit or control any individuals that have entered the United States legally or to whether refugees are resettled in St. Croix County. This resolution is symbolic, and its intent is questionable.
This resolution objects to resettlement of refugees as outlined in the Refugee Act only.
Refugee as defined by the Refugee Act is a very specific individual that meets specific criteria. The Refugee Act defines only one type of individual entering the United States. The Refugee Resettlement Program is a highly structured, rigorous and controlled program where refugees are thoroughly vetted and screened prior to their entrance. They enter the US legally only after careful review. The refugee is then resettled in pre-approved refugee resettlement programs and areas. Federal law allocates up to 125, 000 refugees each year to be resettled in all of America made up of over 300 million people. The most recent refugees one year ago included two families from Ukraine. (see Hudson Star Observer for articles) This resolution confuses the refugee program with the current situation at the border.
This resolution presents a problem where none exists. It is based on disinformation and creates confusion about the refugee process.This is not an issue in St. Croix County and the probability is low that large numbers of refugees would be resettled in our area Currently, we have no resettlement agencies in St. Croix County.
We are concerned that the act of passing this symbolic resolution communicates that legally vetted individuals are not welcome here is dangerous, and that it could result in hatred and potential violence to those new to our County.
This resolution does nothing to help solve the greater and complex issue of migration of those from countries and areas of the world where violence, harm, famine and persecution are a daily occurrence for those individuals and their families living there. The greater dialogue on solving the challenges of immigration for both those who legally and illegally enter the US need to be directed to the policy makers who represent us in Congress. It is with collaboration and hard work between all of our representatives in Congress that the complex issues of migration can be improved.
Lastly, the St. Croix County Board needs to develop a process to vet symbolic proposals that serve no purpose, are not within the board's responsibility, and harm community members prior to reaching a committee level and vote.
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/refugee
The County Board agenda and materials about the Refugee Resolution can be found at this link:
https://stcroixcountywi.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3632
Here's the Wisconsin Refugee program at the Department of Children and Families:
https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/refugee
The Federal Program is administered through Immigration Services
Board Member Emails:
bob.long@sccwi.gov,
lisa.lind@sccwi.gov,
shawn.anderson@sccwi.gov,
cathy.leaf@sccwi.gov,
carah.koch@sccwi.gov,
paul.adams@sccwi.gov,
paul.berning@sccwi.gov,
rick.ottino@sccwi.gov,
bob.feidler@sccwi.gov,
dave.ostness@sccwi.gov,
scott.counter@sccwi.gov,
daniel.hansen@sccwi.gov,
ryan.sherley@sccwi.gov,
greg.tellijohn@sccwi.gov,
mark.carlson@sccwi.gov,
mike.barcalow@sccwi.gov,
bob.swanepoel@sccwi.gov,
jerry.vansomeren@sccwi.gov,
tim.ramberg@sccwi.gov