Fuck it then, you're on your own

[Scooter]

Hamilton church volunteers denied entry to U.S. so they wouldn't 'steal American jobs'

A group of church volunteers from Hamilton heading south to do relief work were denied entry to the U.S. for fear they would take American construction jobs, said a spokesperson for the church.

The 12-person contingent from Hamilton's Rehoboth United Reformed Church was travelling by road on the morning of Saturday, March 11, to New Jersey.

Erik Hoeksema, the church's outreach director who was travelling with the group, said they intended to spend March break cleaning up and rehabilitating neighbourhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy.

U.S. border law says Canadians do not require a visa to enter the country for volunteer work, as long as they can provide proof that their work will not be compensated.

Hoeksema says the group was told they had failed to have a letter sent from the host church "paroling" them into the country.

"So what ends up happening is the organization that you're going to work with sends a letter to border patrol saying this is what they're going to be doing. What our group did not do, is we did not send that ahead of time," he admitted.

Hoeksema said the border patrol officer, who treated them cordially, told the group he would grant an exception and let them through if the host church managed to fax or email a letter right away.

Hoeksema says he contacted Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, the pastor at the Reformed Church of Highland Park in central New Jersey, which would be hosting the group, so he could fax a letter to border patrol explaining their intended purpose.

When the first letter was deemed "not specific enough" by a border patrol officer, Hoeksema said he texted Kaper-Dale to send another, being careful not to make any specific reference to construction.

"In general, mission teams do team-building, tour mercy ministries of the church (food pantries, re-entry programs, thrift shops, etc) and assist with neighbourhood cleanup projects," said the second letter.

It was this last part that was interpreted as "work for hire," says Hoeksema. Officers denied them entry after they had been stopped for more than two hours.

"It's not a new thing that groups are going down there and helping out," said Hoeksema. "In the past, our groups would go down and help in impoverished neighbourhoods and maybe they would even do some light construction."

"I think everybody knows that's what groups are doing down there when they're volunteering. Common sense has it that we're not going down there to steal American jobs. We're helping people."

Hoeksema says this was not the church's first relief work trip headed south of the border. Many individuals from the congregation have, in previous years, travelled to volunteer on their own or with a group down to other states such as Kentucky or Pennsylvania.

On this occasion, however, the group was told that, as foreigners, they would be taking American jobs, and that there was no pressing need for relief work anyway this long after Hurricane Sandy hit the region in 2012.

"Hurricane Sandy happened five years ago ... but the unfortunate thing for people who live in poverty is that they don't get over these things as quickly as others," he explained.

"They obviously can't afford to remove the barriers that are in front of them on their own, so they rely on volunteers coming. And that's all we were trying to do, go help others."

Kaper-Dale agreed, saying it takes an average of seven years to get an impoverished family back on its feet.

"We still have people living in their yards and in trailers while their houses are not completed because of financial shortcomings and the distribution of funding after Hurricane Sandy. Honestly, it just takes a long time to rebuild."

A U.S. border spokesperson said the refusal came down to documentation. The official said groups doing humanitarian work need to provide documentation in advance from the municipality where the work is to be done stating what they will be doing.

"In this case, CBP attempted to assist the group, but ultimately the group was unable to obtain the proper documentation to support this visit," said the spokesperson.

Kaper-Dale, who said the group had been co-ordinating their stay at the New Jersey church for months, was frustrated and shocked by the incident.

"We've hosted other Canadian groups, and we've always been appreciative of their coming, and no Canadian group has ever had any issue at the border."

He said he'd never had to send out a letter before, and believed that the changes were a reflection of political changes in the U.S.

"If you can't get a church van with 12 white folks through [the border], how much worse is it for any person of colour, any person born somewhere else, any person whose name sounds foreign to an [Immigration, Customs and Enforcement] officer, or any refugee?"

Hoeksema said all members of the Hamilton group were carrying Canadian passports and had previously travelled to the U.S. with no incident.

"We probably would've gotten through if we'd just said we were visiting," he said.

Don't expect first responders, electrical utility workers, etc. to answer any call to come down and help with the next disaster then, because if they are going to use their own time and money to help, only to be accused that they are stealing American jobs, then who is going to want to bother?

[BoSoxGal]

Apparently there's a scary streak of fascism in the border patrol that is getting off on the newfound power granted by the Drumpffuhrer's travel ban policies.

Fucking despicable!

My apologies to the nice Canadian church people.

I just read that the Girl Guides (like Girl Scouts, right?) are cancelling all educational travel to the States because of concerns over US border patrol insanity.

We are despicable. I am ashamed.

[Bicycle Bill]

Hamilton church volunteers denied entry to U.S. so they wouldn't 'steal American jobs'

A group of church volunteers from Hamilton heading south to do relief work were denied entry to the U.S. for fear they would take American construction jobs, said a spokesperson for the church.

The 12-person contingent from Hamilton's Rehoboth United Reformed Church was travelling by road on the morning of Saturday, March 11, to New Jersey.

Erik Hoeksema, the church's outreach director who was travelling with the group, said they intended to spend March break cleaning up and rehabilitating neighbourhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Don't expect first responders, electrical utility workers, etc. to answer any call to come down and help with the next disaster then, because if they are going to use their own time and money to help, only to be accused that they are stealing American jobs, then who is going to want to bother?

From Wikipedia:

Hurricane Sandy (October 22-29, 2012) was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and the second-costliest hurricane in United States history.

How long does it take you Canucks to get your shit together, anyway?

They were coming across the border MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AFTER THE STORM HIT on a humanitarian mission of mercy.  I'm pretty sure that any sense of urgency has long since passed.  

-"BB"-

[Scooter]

"Hurricane Sandy happened five years ago ... but the unfortunate thing for people who live in poverty is that they don't get over these things as quickly as others," he explained.

"They obviously can't afford to remove the barriers that are in front of them on their own, so they rely on volunteers coming. And that's all we were trying to do, go help others."

Kaper-Dale agreed, saying it takes an average of seven years to get an impoverished family back on its feet.

"We still have people living in their yards and in trailers while their houses are not completed because of financial shortcomings and the distribution of funding after Hurricane Sandy. Honestly, it just takes a long time to rebuild."

Try moving your lips while reading it this time, since you clearly didn't catch it the first time through.

[BoSoxGal]

BB, you should do some research on the Sandy aftermath. I saw a documentary recently which discussed specifically how many families are still devastated and homeless. Fuck, so are many folks still who lost everything to Katrina 12 fucking years ago! The insurance industry is evil incarnate and many folks were left holding the bag all on their own. How easily could you rebuild your whole life if a giant fucking wave came and destroyed everything you owned and the place you live?!

Don't be ignorant, it's ugly.

https://www.google.com/amp/philadelphia ... eless/amp/

[Scooter]

I just read that the Girl Guides (like Girl Scouts, right?) are cancelling all educational travel to the States because of concerns over US border patrol insanity.

Yes, they have. A lot of school districts, particularly in border areas, have enacted similar policies. They simply can't take the risk of having a child denied entry; it's not as if they could leave the kid behind in the care of CBP while the rest of the group goes on.

[Bicycle Bill]

How easily could you rebuild your whole life if a giant fucking wave came and destroyed everything you owned and the place you live?!

It wouldn't be easy, of course, but I have a bit of an advantage.  I can, for the most part, turn my back on something — good or bad — cut my losses, and move on.

I also do not have anyone else — wife and family — for whom I must be responsible.  And if I were, you can bet your ass that I would have had some sort of plan in place, whether it was insurance or savings or both, that would have softened much of the blow.  I might not be doing as well as I had been pre-tragedy, but I most certainly would not be homeless four years or more after such an event and dependent upon government largesse (FEMA) or a church group coming from half a continent away.

As Ben Franklin said in 'Poor Richard's Almanac' ..... "God helps those who help themselves."

-"BB"-

[ex-khobar Andy]

There were a lot of people thought they were fully insured but just were not, or the insurance companies did not pay. The post Sandy recovery was a nightmare for all except the insurance companies who made out like the bandits they often are.

See http://www.npr.org/2016/05/24/478868270 ... fter-sandy

ETA -- and before anyone steps in, I think that despite the apparent cosiness with Chris Christie post Sandy, the Feds on the whole did a C+ job. Which is way better than Katrina, but it could only be up after that disaster.

[Guinevere]

There were a lot of people thought they were fully insured but just were not, or the insurance companies did not pay. The post Sandy recovery was a nightmare for all except the insurance companies who made out like the bandits they often are.

See http://www.npr.org/2016/05/24/478868270 ... fter-sandy

ETA -- and before anyone steps in, I think that despite the apparent cosiness with Chris Christie post Sandy, the Feds on the whole did a C+ job. Which is way better than Katrina, but it could only be up after that disaster.

This --- is exactly right. There is a huge distinction in what is covered by flood insurance and homeowners insurance, and both kinds of companies pointed fingers at the others in the aftermath of Sandy. Plus many people didn't understand the distinction and didn't have the correct coverage. Finally, some of the big insurers were found to have committed fraud on their policy holders, but it took years of litigation and pushing back after repeated denials of coverage. What were people to do in the interim? Not many can afford to completely rebuild and replace a home on their own in the Northeast, it's too expensive and that why we pay for (also expensive) insurance coverage.

[BoSoxGal]

Bill, you're a self righteous insufferable asshole. Grow a fucking heart and some compassion.

[Burning Petard]

Yes, remember we are talking about Gov. Christy territory.

Meantime, federal flood insurance remains the huge boondoggle that permits the replacement of these ocean front 'homes.' at taxpayer expense.

What commercial insurance company continues to replace your car after you total it the third time while driving drunk?

snailgate.

[Jarlaxle]

How easily could you rebuild your whole life if a giant fucking wave came and destroyed everything you owned and the place you live?!

It wouldn't be easy, of course, but I have a bit of an advantage.  I can, for the most part, turn my back on something — good or bad — cut my losses, and move on.

I also do not have anyone else — wife and family — for whom I must be responsible.  And if I were, you can bet your ass that I would have had some sort of plan in place, whether it was insurance or savings or both, that would have softened much of the blow.  I might not be doing as well as I had been pre-tragedy, but I most certainly would not be homeless four years or more after such an event and dependent upon government largesse (FEMA) or a church group coming from half a continent away.

As Ben Franklin said in 'Poor Richard's Almanac' ..... "God helps those who help themselves."

-"BB"-

That.

[Guinevere]

Boondoggle? You mean making sure that existing communities -- the ones I know (and live in) in New England are year-round and populated by average Americans, continue to thrive?

Would you like to take a guess what the average federal flood insurance bill is for coastal homes around me? Any idea how often they have been "totaled?" Of course the depends on the size of the home, and whether it is on pilings or not, and where it falls on the FEMA flood maps. Did you know coverage is capped at $250K of replacement value? Contents insurance is separate, of course.

Any guesses what some folks were charged when the premium subsidy was removed, post-Sandy?

[Jarlaxle]

Yes, remember we are talking about Gov. Christy territory.

Meantime, federal flood insurance remains the huge boondoggle that permits the replacement of these ocean front 'homes.' at taxpayer expense.

What commercial insurance company continues to replace your car after you total it the third time while driving drunk?

snailgate.

Best argument I have ever seen for totally eliminating the Federal flood insurance boondoggle.

[Guinevere]

And without flood insurance, where do all of us average citizens go? You know the demand for ocean front property will never end. So you want only the wealthy, who can afford to self-insure, to be able to live there?

And again, I bet you've never even seen a flood insurance policy, and you have no idea how they work, what they cover, and how much they cost. Or how often claims are made.

Here's a hint, my house is 117 years old and has been in the same spot that entire time. And here is how close I am to the ocean:

[BoSoxGal]

Yes Jarl, we know - you're smarter than everyone else and you would never need government or charitable help. What I said to BB applies doubly to you.

[Scooter]

As Ben Franklin said in 'Poor Richard's Almanac' ..... "God helps those who help themselves."

How very Trumpian of you.

As to Canadians being late to the party, there were thousands of Canadian first responders who answered the call in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and who pitched in to help on their own time and their own dime. There have continued to be Canadian volunteers, like these church members, who have come down ever since to assist those who continue to need help.

Because that's what neighbours and friends do, irrespective of the existence of a minority of petty, self-absorbed, small minded buffoons like you and Jarlaxle.

[Guinevere]

During our snowmageddon winter two years ago all of eastern Massachusetts including my little town needed, and we gratefully received, help from many of our neighbors, including Canada. Scooter has it exactly - it is what neighbors do and it is part of livIng in the human community.

[rubato]

Apparently there's a scary streak of fascism in the border patrol that is getting off on the newfound power granted by the Drumpffuhrer's travel ban policies.

Fucking despicable!

My apologies to the nice Canadian church people.

I just read that the Girl Guides (like Girl Scouts, right?) are cancelling all educational travel to the States because of concerns over US border patrol insanity.

We are despicable. I am ashamed.

President Trump, empowering petty tyrants everywhere in the Federal Government.

" ... Love of power is greatly increased by the experience of power, and this applies to petty power as well as to that of potentates. ... Similarly, in any autocratic regime, the holders of power become increasingly tyrannical with experience of the delights that power can afford. Since power over human beings is shown in making them do what they would rather not do, the man who is actuated by love of power is more apt to inflict pain than to permit pleasure. If you ask your boss for leave of absence from the office on some legitimate occasion, his love of power will derive more satisfaction from a refusal than from a consent. If you require a building permit, the petty official concerned will obviously get more pleasure from saying «No» than from saying «Yes». It is this sort of thing which makes the love of power such a dangerous motive. ..."

From "What desires are politically important" Bertrand Russell


yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

"...

They were coming across the border MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AFTER THE STORM HIT on a humanitarian mission of mercy.  I'm pretty sure that any sense of urgency has long since passed.  

-"BB"-

If they are still in poverty then the urgency has not changed even though you've found an excuse to turn off your conscience.


yrs,
rubato