Online petition protests refugees and Lutheran Social Services
Online petition protests refugees and Lutheran Social Services
Hundreds of people have signed an online petition to send a message about the increased number of refugees expected in Cass County.
The creator of the petition against Lutheran Social Services, Damon Ouradnick, could not be reached for a request for comment.
Many we spoke with said they think the petition is irresponsible and unfair.
The ones we found who support it wouldn’t go on camera…but the list of signatures online is filled with comments in favor of the petition.
Max Johnk/Fargo : “To just say they’re not welcome here is just a matter of like, not in my backyard.”
Fargo resident Max Johnk says he thinks trying to avoid helping refugees is lazy, considering how well North Dakota has been doing.
Johnk: “We want to reap the rewards of being as prosperous as we are we also have to take responsibility for the social problems that go along with that but also the opportunity to help people where we can.”
But hundreds disagree, according to the list of signatures on the Change.org petition titled, “Stop Lutheran Social Services in Fargo!”
The document was created earlier this week and calls for an end to the flow of refugees into Cass County without a vote, as well as for information on the refugees already placed here.
Many wrote reasons for their support, including messages like:
“How can we afford to bring more people in to live off what we have, when we don’t have enough for the ones that are already here?” – James Williams, Fargo
“Schools are already overcrowded and employment is a problem on many different levels. We have enough refugees in this area. Stop it!” – Nicole Kaste, Washougal, WA
“LSS is ruining Fargo for their own profit.” – Mark Grothe, Fargo
But the thing is, Lutheran Social Services CEO Jessica Thomasson says, beyond a conversation once a year about how many refugees the organizations staff can handle, they don’t have much of a say in how many people are sent here or where they’re sent from.
That’s all up to the Federal Government.
Jessica Thomasson/CEO, Lutheran Social Services: “Lutheran Social Services really just facilitates resettlement in this community, this is a decision that’s made by Congress every year that is affecting the work across the entire United States.”
But Thomasson says she is always happy to hear people expressing their opinions.
Thomasson: “There have really been a lot of great questions that people have asked that we needed to clarify but this is not a new effort, it’s been going on for a really long time.”
From October 1st of last year until September 30th of this year – about 400 new refugees are expected to have settled in Cass County.