Syria's Loss Detroit's Gain? Proposal to Settle Refugees in Northtown

[Lowell]

With plans congealing for the USA to accept a large influx of refugees from the Syrian civil war, a plan is being floated to resettle them in a once predominantly Arab-American neighborhood of Northtown, formerly known as Chaldean Town. It it roughly centered around John R and Seven Mile in Detroit. What do you think?

Haifa Fakhouri, president and CEO of the Arab American and Chaldean Council, has a vision for Detroit — specifically, one square mile of the city.

A nearly 20-year-old plan to redevelop an area on Seven Mile Road, now known as NorthTown and formerly called Chaldean Town, was stalled several years ago after the first phases were completed.

Now, Fakhouri and the ACC see opportunity coming from war-torn Syria, where millions have fled seeking asylum across the eurozone to realize the NorthTown project, including new multifamily Section 8 housing.

She believes as many 5,000 Syrian families seeking refugee status could call NorthTown home and revitalize the blighted neighborhood.

[Wesley Mouch]

With plans congealing for the USA to accept a large influx of refugees from the Syrian civil war, a plan is being floated to resettle them in a once predominantly Arab-American neighborhood of Northtown, formerly known as Chaldean Town. It it roughly centered around John R and Seven Mile in Detroit. What do you think?

Fine idea. Just not big enough. I would think Detroit could handle thousands and thousands more.

[Honky Tonk]

Fine idea. Just not big enough. I would think Detroit could handle thousands and thousands more.

That's fine, as long as they all have paid medical, credit, money, and are able to pay City, State, and Federal taxes. If not, we already have some.

[aj3647]

That's fine, as long as they all have paid medical, credit, money, and are able to pay City, State, and Federal taxes. If not, we already have some.

Did you have any ancestors that perhaps came in through Ellis Island or other ports of entry in the 19th or early 20th century? Did they meet all those criteria?

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

That's engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, it seems many here want to close that door once those huddled masses start to have a slightly darker skin tone or a different religion than the poor, non-English-speaking, uneducated European immigrants who came before them...

[Honky Tonk]

Did you have any ancestors that perhaps came in through Ellis Island or other ports of entry in the 19th or early 20th century? Did they meet all those criteria?

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

That's engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, it seems many here want to close that door once those huddled masses start to have a slightly darker skin tone or a different religion than the poor, non-English-speaking, uneducated European immigrants who came before them...

My ancestors, who did come through Ellis Island, legally, didn't attack those who gave them shelter, and definitely pulled their own weight once they got here. They were needed here by the powers that be, @ that time, as a means of affordable labor. If these immigrants are seeking labor, might I suggest the new gen manufacturing countries where labor is these days? Not the countries that give generous benefits to immigrants, and the unemployed. I'm well aware of the engraving on The Statue of Liberty. I'm also well aware of where a large percentage of my tax dollars are going.

[aj3647]

My ancestors, who did come through Ellis Island, legally, didn't attack those who gave them shelter, and definitely pulled their own weight once they got here. They were needed here by the powers that be, @ that time, as a means of affordable labor. If these immigrants are seeking labor, might I suggest the new gen manufacturing countries where labor is these days? Not the countries that give generous benefits to immigrants, and the unemployed. I'm well aware of the engraving on The Statue of Liberty. I'm also well aware of where a large percentage of my tax dollars are going.

The Syrian refugees aren't even here yet, and yet you automatically assume that they will "attack us" and not "pull their weight?" And then you use your unproven assumptions as a retroactive justification for not letting them in in the first place? Do you see a problem with that? Your ancestors got the benefit of the doubt, which allowed you to be born an American with the freedom to type ignorant opinions on Internet forums, but you refuse to give the same benefit to people fleeing from an active war zone. Also, just FYI, these Syrian refugees would also be coming here LEGALLY, so not sure why you decided to toss that word out there, as if to imply the Syrians would be coming here illegally.

[Richard]

Did you have any ancestors that perhaps came in through Ellis Island or other ports of entry in the 19th or early 20th century? Did they meet all those criteria?

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

That's engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, it seems many here want to close that door once those huddled masses start to have a slightly darker skin tone or a different religion than the poor, non-English-speaking, uneducated European immigrants who came before them...

Yea,that is not really a fair comment,HT or anybody else has not referred to skin color as a deciding factor,so why even go down that road?

When is a lie not a lie but a variation of the truth?

"We were told months back that there is a two year vetting process by the state department.

But now we find out that is not really true.

They registered with the UN refugee agency and underwent a series of interviews and checks, before they were recommended for resettlement.

At first, it seemed they would be sent to Sweden. Then there was talk of Finland. “Then they told us, no, no, you will go to America,” said Faez, who asked to be identified by his first name alone because he still has family in Syria.


Finally, after a further round of screening, the family was accepted as refugees by the US – a country they knew little about."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...s-texas-dallas


So now we know the refugee path.

They leave their country and go to a UN sponsored refugee camp,then the UN does the checks and tells the host countries ,we have say,1000 ready to go.

For the past three years at least it has been with what country has conflict and has refugees as a result of take your pick,Afghanistan,Somalia,Pakistan,take your pick they have been relocating them here for years by the thousands.

The UN does the checks and the vetting not the US,because who is going to divert the resources to check thousands of refugees and how do one even do that.

Okay Hoover had files on everybody,but now do you go to a war torn country and ask the warlord or existing gov for a reference?

Ask a terrorist sponsored organization if this guy is okay?

Why all of the sudden Syria,do we really know what it is about to begin with? We chastised Russia for air strikes against Assad's forces but yet we have this Bolg or website with the last posting in 2012 that says different.

Read it,very interesting.

http://www.americansyrians.com/syria/?page=2

Plausible deniability


We are in the big picture and not individuals or make up a collective in the Governments eye,
Say for instance you bring in 100,000 refugees and one sneaks past as a radical,he or she blows up a building killing 100.

So 100,000 were brought in at the sacrifice of 100,then it will be,"well because we were overwhelmed and could not supply the resources to vet everybody we let the UN handle it.

Sorry we dropped the ball.

So back to Syrians in Detroit.

I will never happen,why?

A:The unemployment rate is to high,the city cannot absorb the low skilled workers until they can be skilled.

B:There is little public transportation to move the masses to the surrounding burbs were the job core base is.

They need cars then,can you add 10,000 cars tomorrow to the streets?

C: They need services,Police,fire,ambulance,city services that are somewhat weak currently,can you put an additional 10,000 on top of that?

So it is clear that the city is not in the position to except that number,so why the proposal?

They knew it was impossible and it would seem that this is just a media ploy to gain support in the end.What were the motives?

[takascar]

Did you have any ancestors that perhaps came in through Ellis Island or other ports of entry in the 19th or early 20th century? Did they meet all those criteria? "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" That's engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, it seems many here want to close that door once those huddled masses start to have a slightly darker skin tone or a different religion than the poor, non-English-speaking, uneducated European immigrants who came before them...

The stuff on the pedestal is just political clap-trap. Thats not the way the world works. We let people in when it BENEFITS our country. Thats the way it should be.

[Wesley Mouch]

The stuff on the pedestal is just political clap-trap. Thats not the way the world works. We let people in when it BENEFITS our country. Thats the way it should be.

What makes a nation? Just the lucky first in the door? Whoever can supplant the indigenous population? Raw power? Genetics?

Certainly nations and borders are more than just private clubs, but also moral entities created by men to help further mankind.

We may open and close our doors based on impact to us, but I believe we also should be attentive to what's good for the world, for our future, and for the future of all.

[dtowncitylover]

But only Christian Syrians. Ain't no way a mosque is going to get built in their neighborhood.

[Honky Tonk]

But only Christian Syrians. Ain't no way a mosque is going to get built in their neighborhood.

I don't believe Downtown Detroit has a mosque, it could use one.

[EastsideAl]

But only Christian Syrians. Ain't no way a mosque is going to get built in their neighborhood.

See, that's the thing. The Chaldean community have very recently made it pretty damn clear that there ain't no way they're building that community for the many Muslim refugees.

[kathy2trips]

I support the Chaldeans 100%.

[pkbroch]

I live across Woodward from " Northtown" never heard that name used before, it is a overgrown, burned out, vacant mess with a few habitable houses.

Perfecting Church building program with their unfinished after 10+ years of work church, blights the corner, their Woodward frontage and the land behind it. In order for this to be settled by 5000 people housing would have to be built on a large scale and vacant land would have to be acquired. While a noble idea it would take $$$$$ to make it habitable again. Even the commercial strip on Seven is mostly vacant due to crime, little police protection, vandalism and arson.

These poor people have fled a bombed out mess, that area would really have to be cleaned up to be habitable for such a large population.

[Wesley Mouch]

I live across Woodward from " Northtown" never heard that name used before, it is a overgrown, burned out, vacant mess with a few habitable houses.

Perfecting Church building program with their unfinished after 10+ years of work church, blights the corner, their Woodward frontage and the land behind it. In order for this to be settled by 5000 people housing would have to be built on a large scale and vacant land would have to be acquired. While a noble idea it would take $$$$$ to make it habitable again. Even the commercial strip on Seven is mostly vacant due to crime, little police protection, vandalism and arson.

These poor people have fled a bombed out mess, that area would really have to be cleaned up to be habitable for such a large population.

People who have survived Syria's civil war just want a chance. While some [[or maybe many) of the refugees are poor and unskilled, many are architects, lawyers, doctors, and no doubt build contractors. I wouldn't underestimate their ability to overcome obstacles. I'm sure the City of Detroit's Human Rights Department would help them, too. They'd have some real human rights to address here.

[Bham1982]

People who have survived Syria's civil war just want a chance. While some [[or maybe many) of the refugees are poor and unskilled, many are architects, lawyers, doctors, and no doubt build contractors. I wouldn't underestimate their ability to overcome obstacles. I'm sure the City of Detroit's Human Rights Department would help them, too. They'd have some real human rights to address here.

And that would be why Germany reports that 90% of the "refugees" [[who passed through five other stable, safe countries before reaching Germany) are unemployable. They're basically benefits shopping, and Germany has the best benefits.

And "Northtown" barely exists. There aren't even homes for the most part, and anyone you forcibly settled there would be in Sterling Heights with their countrymen in 6 months.

[takascar]

People who have survived Syria's civil war just want a chance. While some [[or maybe many) of the refugees are poor and unskilled, many are architects, lawyers, doctors, and no doubt build contractors. I wouldn't underestimate their ability to overcome obstacles. I'm sure the City of Detroit's Human Rights Department would help them, too. They'd have some real human rights to address here.

Help them - with WHOSE MONEY !?!?!?!?!?!? How about the residents in Detroit who have suffered already due to lack of support from outside to provide AMERICAN CITIZENS with opportunities. If you want to start a riot - bring in some completely foreign people and start giving them welfare checks and let the long-suffering citizens see that happening. It would make the late 60's look like a picnic! NO! No one comes in unless they have something to contribute to the city. First off, they need to come in pre-employed [[i.e. with a job). Don't see how Syrian refugees who don't speak English just coming off the boat will have any of that.

[DetroitBoy]

Help them - with WHOSE MONEY !?!?!?!?!?!? How about the residents in Detroit who have suffered already due to lack of support from outside to provide AMERICAN CITIZENS with opportunities. If you want to start a riot - bring in some completely foreign people and start giving them welfare checks and let the long-suffering citizens see that happening. It would make the late 60's look like a picnic! NO! No one comes in unless they have something to contribute to the city. First off, they need to come in pre-employed [[i.e. with a job). Don't see how Syrian refugees who don't speak English just coming off the boat will have any of that.

The Syrian refugees will bring a lot more to the City of Detroit than those who have been milking it dry for years. For your information, many of them do speak English, are well educated and are not looking for handouts. When you see the horrible circumstances these people have been forced to endure, what you have in Detroit starts to look very good:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sunday...refugee-crisis

No doubt, these Syrians will have the will and means to fight for their quality of life in Detroit and not be bullied by anyone. They come here with not much more than what they can carry. Any public money used to help these people would be money well spent for the City of Detroit. They will come into ghetto neighborhoods destroyed by people who have no respect for anyone, work hard to improve them and build a vibrant community. I would welcome them to the City and do whatever I could to help their community flourish.

[Honky Tonk]

The Syrian refugees will bring a lot more to the City of Detroit than those who have been milking it dry for years. For your information, many of them do speak English, are well educated and are not looking for handouts. When you see the horrible circumstances these people have been forced to endure, what you have in Detroit starts to look very good:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sunday...refugee-crisis

No doubt, these Syrians will have the will and means to fight for their quality of life in Detroit and not be bullied by anyone. They come here with not much more than what they can carry. Any public money used to help these people would be money well spent for the City of Detroit. They will come into ghetto neighborhoods destroyed by people who have no respect for anyone, work hard to improve them and build a vibrant community. I would welcome them to the City and do whatever I could to help their community flourish.

I heard they'll even be able to teach pigs to fly!

[compn]

The Syrian refugees will bring a lot more to the City of Detroit than those who have been milking it dry for years.

the refugees will be replacing the mayor, city council, wayne county executive and his fail jail, turkia mullen, forclosure banks, sam riddle, et all?

awesome!

[Wesley Mouch]

Help them - with WHOSE MONEY !?!?!?!?!?!? How about the residents in Detroit who have suffered already due to lack of support from outside to provide AMERICAN CITIZENS with opportunities. If you want to start a riot - bring in some completely foreign people and start giving them welfare checks and let the long-suffering citizens see that happening. It would make the late 60's look like a picnic! NO! No one comes in unless they have something to contribute to the city. First off, they need to come in pre-employed [[i.e. with a job). Don't see how Syrian refugees who don't speak English just coming off the boat will have any of that.

Whose money? We'll have to figure that out. It ought to be the federal governments -- but that doesn't matter. And if the residents whose leaders stole their money and drove the city into bankruptcy are pissed off -- too bad.

You really are being mean. They don't have anything to offer? Pre-employed? By that standard, many to most our families would have never been let in the US. Try reading the Statue of Liberty. The US was built by immigrants who came to the US, integrated with society, and made contributions. What you've said is exactly what was said about Italians [[and many others) once.

Try love next. Might work better.

[takascar]

Whose money? We'll have to figure that out. It ought to be the federal governments -- but that doesn't matter. And if the residents whose leaders stole their money and drove the city into bankruptcy are pissed off -- too bad. You really are being mean. They don't have anything to offer? Pre-employed? By that standard, many to most our families would have never been let in the US. Try reading the Statue of Liberty. The US was built by immigrants who came to the US, integrated with society, and made contributions. What you've said is exactly what was said about Italians [[and many others) once. Try love next. Might work better.

You keep the "love". Every time I hear that word, I grab my wallet and make sure its safe. No more refugees here. Life is hard and some people will just die. Its not our job to save every poor soul in the world. Doing so weakens our community. I say we find jobs for the PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY THEIR WHOLE LIVES first rather than importing a whole bunch of unemployed people from the outside. We have a SHRINKING ECONOMY not a growing one. When my ancestors came here in the early 1900's, there was a HUGE LABOR SHORTAGE and their labor was needed. The nation allowed them in because nation needed them, not because it wanted to be nice. Sorry, but I have more respect for the people already here. First, we fix up our economy, abrograte some of those unfair trade agreements and tell the world we are no longer going to be patsies. Then, we re-negotiate these agreements to include labor standards as a main part of the agreements, not side-deals. We need global wage parity [[cf. Walter Reuther speeches, circa 1950's - he warned that these crooked free trade deals were coming). Then, IF, and ONLY IF our economy needs workers, we ALLOW them in IF ITS IN OUR BEST INTEREST. In spite of some people's rose colored glasses [[nonsense like "love", etc), we let people into this country in the past when IT SUITED OUR INTERESTS, not for any other reason, and we should start doing that again. Maybe people should listen to Donald Trump.

[softailrider]

I live across Woodward from " Northtown" never heard that name used before, it is a overgrown, burned out, vacant mess with a few habitable houses.

Perfecting Church building program with their unfinished after 10+ years of work church, blights the corner, their Woodward frontage and the land behind it. In order for this to be settled by 5000 people housing would have to be built on a large scale and vacant land would have to be acquired. While a noble idea it would take $$$$$ to make it habitable again. Even the commercial strip on Seven is mostly vacant due to crime, little police protection, vandalism and arson.

These poor people have fled a bombed out mess, that area would really have to be cleaned up to be habitable for such a large population.

Not to hijack this thread but does anybody know why in hell that huge church is still a work in progress?

[hybridy]

Penrose Village is the name of the new development that is occurring in the area.

http://growtown.org/projects/penrose/

[Hypestyles]

Also, what about that area near Davison & the Lodge where there is an active effort to present itself to Muslim residents-- http://www.freep.com/story/news/colu...irit/29710209/
If plans regarding Syrian relocation are continued, there needs to be federal money [[and hopefully international money) directed to clearing out any devastated housing and building new apartments. Single family homes should be carefully thought out, however. There needs to be partnerships with ethical nonprofit agencies with global reach that can deal ethically with the refugee community. Also there needs to be a strong, deliberate effort to outreach residents already in these surrounding areas- including jobs outreach.