Thread: MN:Anti-immigration group challenges Welcome Center's goal

Anti-immigration group challenges Welcome Center's goal
1/21/2008 10:49:16 AM
By Karen Colbenson
Post-Bulletin, Austin MN

Liliana Silvestry, executive director of Austin's Welcome Center, said she has nothing to hide from the members of the Minnesota Coalition for Immigration Reduction, who are forming plans to visit the center to discuss its operations.

It won't be the group's first visit to the center, according to member Dean Dykeman, who said that during the previous visit, the group asked several questions about the motives of the center.

"I'm open to everybody," said Silvestry. "We are an open book. We don't have anything to cover."

The Welcome Center, founded in 2000, provides programs and services to newcomers that promote self-sufficiency and multicultural understanding among the increasingly diverse population in the area.

According to Silvestry, about 6 percent of the Welcome Center's $256,000 annual budget comes from the city. The rest is funded mostly through grants and donations.

However, many MCFIR members said they believe the Welcome Center is a "placement agency" for illegal immigrants that is "funded by the taxpayers of Austin."

Paul Westrum, founder of MCFIR, suggested at the group's monthly meeting Tuesday that some members meet with Silvestry to discuss operations, including the center's funding formula.

The suggestion was made after a heated discussion between Austin resident Ralph Peters and MCFIR member Bob King regarding the group's local actions to counter illegal immigration.

"What is this group going to do about this issue?" asked Peters. "You sit in these meetings and talk about taking on more and more issues. ... Talking is a passive activity. Is this group going to do anything active?"

King responded by listing the actions the group has taken in Austin, including meeting with Mayor Tom Stiehm, Austin Police Department and the Mower County Sheriff's Department.

Silvestry said she believes the best way to clear up misunderstandings between differing groups is through communication.

"Why should I not welcome them back?" said Silvestry. "There's nothing to hide. We're not afraid of them.

"The reality is the immigration issue is not my issue," said Silvestry. "My issue is to accommodate people that come to this community. They came to work, have a house, some security ... all the little things that matter for the well-being of their families. We have an aging community and those positions are being filled with those coming here. I'd rather keep the businesses in the United States than see them close here and move to another country."

http://www.postbulletin.com:80/newsmana ... 8&a=324455

Code:

"The reality is the immigration issue is not my issue," said Silvestry. "My issue is to accommodate people that come to this community. They came to work, have a house, some security ... all the little things that matter for the well-being of their families. We have an aging community and those positions are being filled with those coming here. I'd rather keep the businesses in the United States than see them close here and move to another country."

NEWSPEAK for: Yeah, we support, encourage and welcome illegal aliens into our community.

Austin MN? Oh yeah, I know what it is famous for:

http://www.spamtownusa.com/quality.html

:lol: I think that answers a lot of latent questions about who, when, why...

What she is saying is "If they are here they deserve equal rights to services".

Well lets hope all of them leaveing OK, AZ etc. learn about MI. looks like a good place to go, let the good citizens of Mi. support them if they choose. Just stay away from Idaho, I want my tax dallors spent on legal immigrants or Legal U.S. citizens.

If they are providing services w/o asking for identification that verifies legal residency or presence in this country, then they ARE using the money to assist illegal aliens. Unless they have an intake procedure that screens out
IA's then they are assisting illegal aliens. Don't ask, don't tell means they are assisting illegal aliens using taxpayer funds. Most LEGAL immigrants never need to use services "provided" by these kind of "agencies".....most LEGAL immigrants don't need help finding employment, speaking ENglish, or going about their business in a law-ful manner. Most of these "agencies" have cleverly manipulated generous state/local/county coffers out of lots of grant funding to provide services to illegal aliens and to provide a livelihood for their professional ethno-centric panderers.