Hamtramck, Michigan: From Vacant Lot To Refugee Homes

What is a true refugee?  According to the United Stated Citizenship and Immigration Services, under United States law, a refugee is someone who:

• Is located outside of the United States
• Is of special humanitarian concern to the United States
• Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
• Is not firmly resettled in another country
• Is admissible to the United States

According to Dee Dee McVety, Director of Giving for Samaritas:

To be a refugee means that you have been certified with a well founded fear of either persecution, torture or death

I believe most United States citizens believe we should open our collective arms to true refugees.  The problem today is the refugee program is, and has been, greatly abused. But that does not mean that there are no true refugees... there are.  Those refugees need a place to live as they adjust to life in the United States.

A local ABC news station WXYZ is reporting on an empty lot in Hamtramck Michigan which was donated by the Wayne County Land Bank, interesting how the say donated by the Wayne County Land Bank since they own nothing.  It was really donated by the taxpayers of Wayne County because the land ended up in their “Bank” due to the land being foreclosed upon because of unpaid taxes.  Donating any land thus would mean that any taxes owed on that land will not be paid back to the taxpayers of Wayne County.  That discussion is for another day.

On the donated land three homes will be built, all of which will be duplexes thus allowing six families to live there.  They will be calling this property “Freedom Village". The new refugees will be allowed to live there for reduced rent for approximately a year.  This will give them time to adjust to their life in the land of milk and honey.

The homes will be built using $1.2 million in federal funding through U.S. Department of Housing And Urban Development.

Fathi Mozep, who lives just two doors down from the planned “Freedom Village” said:

I have no problem where they come from in the world as long as they're human beings, they're going to come here, we are going to welcome them, they have families just like us

Good luck to those newly minted refugees.  We must remember in these times of turmoil that not all of the refugees are attempting to scam the United States Immigration process thus the United States citizens.  I just hope the officials responsible for determining who is a true refugee as defined by our government and who is attempting to scam us know what they are doing and will not be swayed by emotions.