Friends of Refugees

A U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program Watchdog Group

Archive for the ‘International Institute of Erie’ Category

Bhutanese intimidated, assaulted and robbed in Erie

Posted by Christopher Coen on October 3, 2011

A series of robberies, physical assaults and even a BB gun shooting have recently created fear among Bhutanese refugees resettled to Erie, Pennsylvania. Joel Tuzynski, the executive director of the Multicultural Community Resource Center has written an opinion piece in the Erie Times-News about the issue.

…Erie has been fortunate to be the new home to several hundred new arrivals of the Bhutanese Nepali community…

…Their transition from an Eastern tradition into Erie has become a very difficult journey because some of the “criminals in our midst” have seen these people as “easy marks.”

There have been a series of robberies, physical assaults and even a BB gun shooting, that have recently created fear and wondering among the Nepali regarding their new home.

These attacks upon young Nepali men and women, who are naive to the ways of the modern world, trusting of others, and non-violent by choice, are verging upon what we fear is becoming “ethnic intimidation” at this point.

Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott and Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin are trying to work with the Nepali community about reporting and solving these crimes.

…when a young man is robbed in broad daylight outside of our MCRC [Multicultural Community Resource Center] — a program that exists to welcome and assist them — it is time to call the public’s attention to this situation, which has reoccurred too often.

The physical assaults, robberies and intimidation, must stop, as it is a violation of basic civil rights guaranteed to all people under our Constitution.

We call upon our neighborhood watches, the police SWAT teams, local, state and federal officials and other concerned citizens to help us stop this targeted, criminal, uncivilized, mean-spirited, ill treatment of our newest neighbors, the Nepali community… Read more here

This case gets back to the issue of using refugees to boost the number of inhabitants of US cities with declining populations. Erie’s population was 138,440 in 1960, which declined to 101,786 in 2010. Is it ethical to use these people — as part of a humanitarian program — to boost declining population levels, when many of these places are also particularly unsafe for refugees during their vulnerable time of transition?

Posted in Catholic Charities, dangerous neighborhoods, Erie, Hindu, International Institute of Erie, intimidation of refugees, Nepali Bhutanese, police, population levels, using refugees as pawns to boost, safety | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

USCRI’s International Institute of Erie in “partial compliance” with State Department refugee services contract

Posted by Christopher Coen on June 21, 2010

In the latest monitoring report from the State Department evaluating the USCRI’s International Institute of Erie, the State Department rated the agency as being in “partial compliance” with their refugee services contract (here). They rated housing and furnishings provided to refugees by the International Institute of Erie as “not in compliance” with R&P (resettlement & placement) requirements, and refugee employment, at 41%, was below established targets (75%).

The International Institute of Erie made it into the newspaper in recent months with a report that a Burmese refugee family was left at the airport overnight and had to sleep on the floor, here and here. We inquired with the director of the Institute, John Flanagan, to find out why the refugees were left there, but he never responded.

The State Department report, the product of a second State Department inspection in eight years (unusual), found that of four refugee families visited, three reported that the Institute had delivered some required furnishings and done some repairs the DAY BEFORE the monitors’ visit. The housing and furnishings were also generally below minimum standards. The monitors suggested that the Institute’s director Mr. Flanagan, visit the homes of the Burundian, Iraqi, and Burmese refugee families (gee, what a novel idea).

According to the report:

In the apartment of the Burundian family, monitors observed water leaking through electrical wiring, evidence of rodent and insect infestation, and several broken chairs. The oven did not work and the rear entrance to the apartment had been boarded up. Furniture was arranged in one bedroom in a way that would make exit difficult in an emergency. The family reported that affiliate staff delivered a sofa and alarm clock and repaired a moldy, leaking bathroom ceiling the day before the monitors’ visit. Monitors asked that alternative housing be found immediately for the family.

The Iraqi family informed monitors that they were extremely uncomfortable in their home and were often afraid to leave the apartment because they feel the neighborhood is unsafe. They described an instance where a woman screamed all night in the street outside their apartment, and said they have witnessed drug dealers fighting and frequent police activity in the neighborhood. They complained that the house is dirty and infested with insects, the bathroom did not work for two weeks after their arrival; and the lock on the door to the basement is broken. Clothing storage had been provide by [the International Institute of Erie] the day before the monitors’ visit. Monitors observed garbage stored in the hallway outside the family’s kitchen, and moldy carpet in the bathroom. There was  no working smoke detector in the apartment. …the husband said he was relying on Iraqi friends to help him find work because International Institute of Erie staff had told him there was no work available.

…Monitors asked that the affiliate assist the Iraqi [family] to find new housing.

Read more. It doesn’t get much better.

Posted in Burma/Myanmar, Burundian, employment services, Erie, furnishings, lack of, household items, missing or broken, housing, substandard, International Institute of Erie, Iraqi, meeting refugees at the airport, neglect, Nepali Bhutanese, Pennsylvania, R&P, State Department, USCRI | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Update to story about refugees left at the airport in Erie, Pennsylvania

Posted by Christopher Coen on March 9, 2010

On February 20th we reported about an International Institute of Erie Burmese refugee family that was left stranded at the airport in Erie (here).

The International Institute of Erie’s director then commented that it wasn’t his agency’s fault, and that we should report on positive things that newspapers reported about his agency, such as ESL classes.

As Agency Director, I certainly did not blame the airline for the snafu, or at least I think I didn’t. Certainly, as the Primary Resettlement, The International Institute or Erie is responsible to ensure that our clients are met at the airport, and taken to their new home. We take full responsibility for the people we serve, and the mistakes that we sometimes make, and always have. … And to answer your comment on calling the airlines, that is EXACTLY what we did, and were told that the flight was cancelled. Our staff was unaware that our clients were put on a bus and transported to Erie from Cleveland, and not simply rebooked on the next flight out, as is normal procedure in this event. …You can also feel free to comment on respond to article to the many good things we do with our clients. As a matter of fact, their was a great article just above this one in the paper and on goerie.com that went into great detail about our ESL serivces we provide for newly arrived refugees and immigrants. I would be interested to hear what your thoughts are on that article as well.

Thank-you Mr. Flanagan for your response. I just found your comment in the spam filter (don’t know why it was there).

I then commented, “If you thought that the refugees had been rebooked on the next flight out of Cleveland to Erie, then didn’t you call the airline again to ask why they didn’t show up in Erie on the next flight? Where did you think they were? Also, did the IOM give the refugee your agency’s phone number in case of an airport mix-up? Arriving refugees need a contact number to get in touch with a live person from your agency after hours in case of future airline mix-ups.”

On Febuary 24th I also emailed  Mr. Fanagan and asked him, “Mr. Flanagan, I posted your comment today after finding it in the spam filter. I didn’t know about the ESL article so I just went and found it. Do you have just the two ESL class levels? Beginners and intermediate? We have a lot of refugees who complain to us that the ESL they are offered is too easy and a waste of time. Alternately, other refugees who have no English at all have a hard time learning from a teacher who does not speak their language. How do you address that other than using photos, pointing, etc? What about Advanced English, e.g. for Iraqis or others with good English who just need to learn American English pronunciation? Does any agency in town offer it? How long may refugees attend your classes, 8 months, 5 years? Do you ever make referrals to First Alliance’s ESL class?”

Mr. Flanagan has not responded to the comment or to the email.

Posted in Burma/Myanmar, Erie, International Institute of Erie, IOM, meeting refugees at the airport, Pennsylvania, USCRI | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

 
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