New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
According to the Standard Times, “Mayor Jon Mitchell has given his consent for refugee resettlement in the city, following a presidential executive order that required communities to make their preferences known. At the end of December, Mitchell sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo consenting to initial refugee resettlement in the city.”
My first instinct was to disagree with the mayor, but after some quick research, I couldn’t help but agree with him. How could we accept more people into New Bedford when we have thousands of families on the public housing waiting list and a homeless and panhandler population in the hundreds? While I’m considered conservative when it comes to illegal immigration and disagree with Mayor Mitchell on many things, I agree with him on New Bedford’s official refugee policy. This is not an illegal immigration debate, this is a refugee debate – a major distinction. We are talking legitimate refugees, not illegal/undocumented immigrants.
According to Massachusetts refugee resettlement agencies, 619 refugees arrived in Massachusetts in 2018. Let’s say New Bedford was one of 30 cities and towns in Massachusetts that split the number of refugees accepted, that would be 21 refugees moving into New Bedford. I’m certain a city with 100,000+ people can absorb 21 legitimate refugees.
When it comes to the immigration debate, I’m against illegal immigration and New Bedford has a high illegal immigration population. Illegal/undocumented are unvetted individuals. Refugees are vetted, legal immigrants fleeing dangerous situations and New Bedford should welcome them as should every city and town across America.
