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Syrian Americans Push to Allow Refugee Havens in US Homes

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Syrian Americans Push to Allow Refugee Havens in US Homes International FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015 13 Second complaint against pro-Rubio secret donor group WASHINGTON: Conservative Solutions Project, a nonprofit group funded by secret donors that has so far spent $8 million in ads promoting Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio, has drawn another complaint from Washington watchdog groups. Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center yesterday asked the Justice Department to investi- gate the group, alleging that it was set up primarily for the benefit of the Florida senator. That would be a potential violation of tax law, because nonprofits face restrictions on political activity in exchange for the benefit of being able to shield their donors’ identities from the public. “The Conservative Solutions Project is flaunting the tax laws and flaunting the interests of the American people by using its improper claim of non- profit tax status to keep secret the donors financing its campaign activities,” Democracy 21 president Fred Wertheimer said in a statement. Two weeks ago, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington complained to the Internal CESME: A group of refugees, led by Turkish police, are escorted to buses in place of sailing to the Greek island of Chios Revenue Service that the Rubio-boosting activity by via raft, at a beach in the western Turkish coastal town of Cesme, in Izmir province, yesterday.—AFP Conservative Solutions Project violated tax law. Neither the IRS nor the Justice Department would confirm whether investigations were underway. Syrian Americans push to allow Jeff Sadosky, a spokesman for Conservative Solutions Project, has said the nonprofit is doing refugee havens in US homes nothing wrong and that Rubio was among the can- didates the group has highlighted. Yet the group’s NEW YORK: Syrian-American Lina Sergie updates of their blistered feet to worried generations of Arab-born people. emphasis on Rubio, one of more than a dozen major Attar, a mother of two, has a spare bed- relatives around the globe. But others in Washington oppose Republicans competing for the presidential nomina- room in her suburban Chicago home, Syrians coming into the United States, say- tion, is evident. which she would like to use to host a PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INVOLVED ing they pose a security risk. Last month, a While the group mentions several conservative Syrian refugee family. But like many Syrian- Syria’s war, which erupted in 2011, has coalition led by the Syrian American politicians on its website, only Rubio has appeared Americans willing to pay out of their own killed some 250,000 people, uprooted 11 Council sent a letter to Obama requesting in its TV and radio ads - and there have been more pockets to care for resettled refugees million from their homes and created more private sponsorship. than 3,000 on air so far. In fact, Conservative directly, she cannot. than 4 million refugees in a country of It seeks an unlimited number of private- Solutions Project is the second-largest advertiser in For although the United States has about 23 million people. ly sponsored refugees and at least 100,000 the 2016 race, according to Kantar Media’s CMAG promised to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian Since 2011, the United States has government-sponsored refugees. refugees in the coming year, this can only admitted some 1,900 Syrian refugees, Sponsoring groups would cover all costs advertising tracker. happen through government channels at according to the US Department of State. for 18 months or until a refugee becomes In addition to the $8 million it had spent on present, prompting calls for change as the Meanwhile Canada has resettled roughly self-sufficient. Rubio-centric commercials through this week, refugee crisis escalates. “I would absolutely 2,600 Syrian refugees since the start of the Some organizations have refrained Conservative Solutions Project has reserved nearly host a family in my home if I could have conflict, mostly through private sponsor- from joining the campaign for private $2 million worth of advertising time on satellite tele- that option,” said Attar, 40, who lives with ship, officials said. They joined the ranks of sponsorship, including the US Committee vision to begin airing next month and continue her husband and pre-teen daughters in the more than 40,000 Canadians of Syrian for Refugees and Immigrants which prefers through the first three primary elections next year, upscale Lake Forest, Illinois. If she lived a descent. to focus on calls to increase the govern- information provided by CMAG shows. few hours drive further north in Canada, it For the duration of the sponsorship ment-sponsored number to 100,000. The ad aired most frequently has the look and feel could be a different story. The system there period, 12 months or until refugees “We feel the establishment of a new of a campaign message. It’s a 30-second clip of a allows so-called private sponsorship of become self-sufficient, Canadians who act and separate avenue will dilute efforts to speech Rubio gave to a conservative group, and is refugees. as sponsors commit to providing them increase the number of Syrian refugee As winter arrives, advocates in the with a range of care, from lodging to cloth- arrivals,” said spokeswoman Stacie Blake. set to a soundtrack of soaring music and inter- United States are calling for a system like ing and introducing them to the communi- Campaigners say money is not lacking spersed with patriotic images such as flags fluttering that in Canada where private citizens can ty. in the US Syrian-American community, and a rocket launching. “If ever there has been an buttress government efforts by footing the An organization called ‘Lifeline Syria’ is which has hubs in Los Angeles, Chicago, era in human history tailor-made for us as a people, bill themselves. Under the US model, pri- trying to help bring 1,000 Syrians to the Detroit and New Jersey suburbs to the it is the 21st century,” Rubio says in the ad. “What is vate donations can be made to non-gov- Toronto area as permanent residents. west of New York City. Nearly one in five standing in the way are outdated leaders that refuse ernment groups working with authorities More than 300 groups have formed to help hold graduate or professional degrees, and to let go of the past.” to host refugees. But there is no way peo- through private sponsorship in just five the median family income is more than 10 This week, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in ple can pick up the tab without going months, the group said. percent higher than that of the overall Washington filed a supplement to its IRS complaint through this system. “The people are just lining up to try to population, US Census Bureau data shows. noting that Conservative Solutions Project charac- Attar, who heads the Karam get involved,” said spokesman Peter In Canada, the government estimates terized all of its ads as “supporting Marco Rubio” Foundation, a non-profit group providing Goodspeed. “How to sponsor a Syrian” was the costs of private sponsorship over a year aid for Syrians, supports the calls for a pri- the top query relating to the Syrian begin at about CA$12,600 (US$9,572) for a when it signed contracts for the television time. vate sponsorship program in the United refugee crisis in Canada according to single refugee and CA$29,700 (US$22,563) The nonprofit shares key leaders with a super States. One of the 170,000-strong commu- search engine Google for one 24-hour peri- for a family of five. political action committee specially designed to nity of US residents of Syrian descent, Attar od in early September. Niskanen Center, a “It could take a family from a situation benefit only Rubio. Unlike the nonprofit, that similar- was raised in Syria but earned graduate libertarian think-tank in Washington DC, is of despair to building a new future, so it’s a ly named PAC, Conservative Solutions PAC, must degrees at the prestigious Rhode Island promoting private sponsorship in the worthwhile investment,” said Attar. But regularly disclose its donors to the public through School of Design and Massachusetts United States. resettlement is more than a matter of dol- the Federal Election Commission. Institute of Technology. “Even if this program is small, it will be a lars and cents and entails vetting refugees Sadosky is spokesman for both groups. Warren Her parents, both physicians, left significant contributor to dealing with this by means of interviews, medical exams Tompkins, a South Carolina operative who is busi- Aleppo in 2012 due to the conflict and issue,” said David Bier, its director of immi- and security checks, the US State ness partners with Rubio’s campaign manager, moved to Lake Forest with just four suit- gration policy. Among the politicians who Department said. formed the nonprofit in 2014. He now leads the cases. This year, after taking a smuggler’s support private sponsorship is “Resettling refugees requires time, staff boat from Syria, her cousins trekked to Congressional Democrat John Conyers, and other resources,” said spokeswoman super PAC. —AP Germany from Greece, sending photo whose Michigan district has been home to Danna Van Brandt. — Reuters.
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