Immigrant Song

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. So let’s remember a few things as we scream our way through our current immigration debate. America was highly unwelcoming to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, even in the months after Kristallnacht when it was clear things were going to get really bad. Here’s Vox on how America’s rejection of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany haunts our refugee policy today.

+ WaPo: “Otto Frank’s efforts to get his family to the United States ran afoul of restrictive American immigration policies designed to protect national security and guard against an influx of foreigners during time of war.” Otto Frank was Anne Frank’s father.

+ On Friday, President Trump issued a statement to “remember and honor the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust.” My parents are both survivors and heroes, and on their behalf, I’d like to suggest that the statement be edited to include the word Jews. (We have given deniers of facts enough fuel, let’s not add more…)

+ The remembrance of past refugee policies is not intended as an attack on America, which eventually welcomed both my parents (lucky for me, lucky for America), but rather to add some context to our discussion of today’s refugees and immigrants … and walls. Let’s start with some key facts about refugees to the U.S.

+ “That vetting process is very, very involved. It usually takes about two years.” Pro Publica with a few facts about how the U.S. currently vets refugees.

+ In an executive order, the White House indicated that Sanctuary Cities “have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.” On the other hand, Sanctuary Cities are safer and more productive. And it’s worth noting that the states with the most immigrants tended to vote against the anti-immigrant candidate.

+ In somewhat related news, Trump and Peña Nieto had an hour long call today after publicly fighting about the wall and who will pay for it. If the Mexican president has any sense of humor, he called collect.