This is in reference to an article on the Front Page of the Jan. 12 edition of the Tribune, “Resource center for refugees sought in Albert Lea.” Albert Lea has had one welcome center, and we don’t need another one.

If a person studies the refugee issue, you would say no. Refugees are sent to the U.S. by the U.N. They come here and never leave. The original refugee law was that they come here and can stay here until things are somewhat normal back home.

This program is too expensive for the U.S. taxpayers. These refugees come here and tell us what they want from us, and then expect us to do what they want.

There are several towns in Minnesota that have refugee problems: Austin, Rochester, Willmar, Mankato, Owatonna and several others. Owatonna has a problem in the high school, where they have had law enforcement to keep the peace.

At the Owatonna chapter of the Minnesota Coalition for Immigration meeting a group of Somali refugees came in and demanded more respect from the people of Owatonna, and said they like Owatonna and that they were all working and paying taxes. Two weeks later they were at a school board meeting. The board wanted to raise the lunch prices and the cost for busing, and they said no, none of them could afford it because none of them were working. They want, want and want. I say no, no and no!

 

Paul Westrum

Albert Lea