Month: November 2021

Hospitals should not keep families from loved ones

Medical personnel should not have the right to keep families away from their loved ones in the hospital.

In November, Tennessee law makers added a new statute in the special session bill (HB9076) forbidding separation from a family member while in the hospital during a covid emergency time. (1)(2)

However, Governor Lee wants to change this law in January, so it only applies to patients during end of life. (3)

No patient deserves to be separated from family even during a national or state emergency.

Hospitals are facing drastic shortages of personnel. Across the nation additional medical personnel are needed to fill 35% more jobs than last year.

In a time of crisis, when demands on skilled care are higher, patients need to have a family member present at all times. Particularly during covid, conflict and confusion can arise between families and doctors over treatment options. Families have a right to be present and involved in all decision-making. (4)

Further, isolation under any conditions threatens recovery. Stress, depression, loneliness and hopelessness can undermine treatment. Isolation is particularly dangerous for the elderly. (5)

Lawmakers in Nashville will be considering a change to the new law in January which currently requires hospitals to let a family member stay in the room. Our loved ones are depending on us to be their voice.

We have 30 days to call and write Gov. Lee, Sen. Ken Yager, Rep. Kelly Kiesling and Speaker Cameron Sexton, and tell them to keep this law as it is and allow one person to stay with a patient in the hospital.

CONTACT INFO:

Governor Bill Lee: Email, (615) 741-2001

Senator Ken Yager:  Email,  www.kenyager.com ; Phone (615) 741-1449

Speaker Cameron Sexton: Email Phone (615) 741-2343

REFERENCES:

(1) https://legiscan.com/TN/text/HB9077/2021; 14-6-104,CH 5, Sec 12b)

(2)https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2021/11/12/gov–lee-s-office-announces-executive-actions-on-extraordinary-session-legislation.html

(3) https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=search&v=306710587943186

(4) (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hiring-crisis-health-care-job-postings-spike-35-george-anders/)

(5)(https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks)

TN Illegal Immigration Study Committee: Who’s On First?

As appeared in Tennessee Conservative News

By Anne Beckett [contributor to The Tennessee Conservative and founder of Tennessee Action Group]

The Tennessee Conservative broke a story of “migrants” coming into Chattanooga on April 9th, 2021.  On June 21, the Joint Study Committee on “Refugee” Issues was formed.  The committee was formed in response to an incident with “unaccompanied minors” that may be “illegal immigrants”,  and then was tasked by Lt. Gov. McNally and Speaker Sexton to evaluate “migrant” children.

Let’s break this down.

A migrant is, “someone who is moving from place to place (willingly) usually for economic reasons (looking for work).  It is a planned, temporary move (seasonal).

 A refugee is, “someone who has been forced to flee his/her home because of war, violence or persecution.” 

An immigrant is, “someone who leaves his/her home and moves to a foreign country with the intention of settling there.”

An illegal immigrant is one who by-passes the laws made for immigration. They have “not acquired documents before entering into a country,” and are not authorized.

So, who’s on first?  Or in other words, how does the committee intend to hit the ball when it’s not clear what or which (or who) they are to aim at? 

First, as it was rapidly ascertained, the minors coming into Chattanooga were indeed illegal immigrants.   Never migrants. (A new “softer” term is used now: UAC’s- unaccompanied alien children. This is another misnomer as “alien” refers to all non-citizens or non-nationals including tourists).

The committee tried to address the transport of these illegal immigrants in and through Tennessee.  And steadfastly encountered a total wall (pun intended): The federal “partners” refused to answer any inquiry into their various agencies from any of our law enforcement, governmental agencies or anyone from the Governor’s office.  So much for transparency. 

Now, when the federal government defies written law it is not conducting a legal operation. Why is Tennessee participating, which in fact is happening when it is not halted? 

Several participants echoed words similar to Governor Lee when he referenced a faith based mandate to help the poor and needy.  That is misdirected and a mischaracterization:  helping the poor is a high calling, but Jesus looks at the heart, not just the act itself, and the intent of this unregulated surge is under serious question. It is not transparent, and is, therefore, not without guile.

Rather, it is to obfuscate. Buyer beware.

Any argument about saving children should address how the situation came about in the first place.

How is anyone getting to the border?  A director of one of the refugee agencies reporting to the committee told a story of a 6-year old boy who made a “2,000 mile journey walking to the border” to unite with his mother who is also illegally in the U.S.

That is preposterous in every sense of the word.  Who walks 2,000 miles? Or even 200 miles? The northern third of Mexico is the almost the size of Texas, and at least as dry and hot. Without road services or facilities. Hello?

This wave of intruders is obviously being financed and furnished with buses and planes for transport to our southern border.  That evidence is rampant at the border. Our politicians can not claim ignorance because of a lack of coverage by mainstream media. They have access to and are responsible to know the truth.

Contrary to comments by Senator Todd Gardenhire including, “it does not matter how they (children) got here we are responsible for them when they are here,” we are not responsible for children who are sent ahead as bait and need to be returned to their homes and homeland.  

Otherwise, Tennessee is fully complicit as a state in the atrocities as noted by Representative Chris Todd at the last hearing when he said, ”we are facilitating illegal immigration from the southern border.”

And what is happening to children once they get here?  Senator Richard Briggs pointed out in the 2nd committee hearing, “this has all the hallmarks of trafficking: we do not know who is traveling (with the children), where they are going, or who is paying for it.”

Trafficking may be happening in the open as 30% of the “families” are not related.

Further, for the minor illegal immigrants that are being placed with sponsors or people who claim to be family,  a high percentage disappear. 

Second, while there are many hopes the southern border crisis will be temporary (migration), it has never been shown in any way to be about “war, violence or persecution” which is the case for refugees. 

Yet, a significant amount of time was spent on refugee organizations which are well regulated, process people who have applied for immigration,  includes an extended vetting process that typically takes 18 months and only admits a few hundred people a year according to all the reports given to the committee in the hearings. 

So how will the committee address this as a “refugee” issue?  

If these people are not refugees, and instead illegal immigrants (by any definition), then the federal government is not conducting a legal operation.  Why is Tennessee participating?

The committee is to be commended for digging in, that is, swinging at all the balls thrown at them, even if they do not know which one is in the strike zone. 

If the committee wants to recommend legislation, it may require a sweeping gesture so broad as to potentially render it useless.  

Governor Lee has agreed to receive 415 Afghan “refugees”  (We do not know what happened to the vetting process).  Governor DeSantis of Florida has a better idea. Perhaps Tennessee should adopt his policy and end the discussion. 

About the Author: Anne Beckett is the founder of Tennessee Action Group of Fentress County, a grassroots group dedicated to promoting the sovereignty of Tennessee and its citizens. 

Migrant Children in TN

On Monday November 15, 10AM CST, the Joint Study Committee on Refugee Issues had their fourth and last meeting livestream in the Cordell Hull Building in Nashville, TN.  They heard presentations from the Office of the Governor, Department of Childrens Services, Bethany Christian Services and Bridge Refugee Services.

The Governor’s office was represented by Valerie Yancey, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs and Eric Mayo, a Legislative Liaison and also the Federal Relations Liaison for the Governor.  Mr. Mayo  gave a short report referencing only the Afghan refugees reported to be arriving to Tennessee.* 

“We do not know how many (other refugee) people are resettled in Tennessee,” Mayo said.

Governor Lee, along with Senators Haggerty and Blackburn, submitted a series of questions concerning the “status of the (Afghan) refugee process and their vetting” to Secretary Mayorca of Homeland Security. The federal government has not responded.

Representative Ryan Williams clarified there are 415 refugees who have been vetted for Tennessee, yet there are no statistics as to how many of these refugees are already in Tennessee, or when more are coming.

Senator Richard Briggs raised the issue of distinguishing among  illegal immigrants, refugees and legal immigrants.  The committee was formed to evaluate the influx of “migrant” children coming into the state of Tennessee, as well as the transparency from the Federal government and Tennessee’s fiscal

responsibility with migrant resettlement. 

Representative Chris Todd questioned the definition of “self sustaining” which is the stated goal of all refugee programs and refers to fiscal independence within 6 months.  However, Todd quoted a TennCare report stating 53% of 1500 refugees in 2010  were dependent on TennCare, a taxpayer funded program. 

Representative Dan Howell (Chair) then questioned whether the number of refugees will increase. Ms. Yancey admits the Governor’s office has tried repeatedly to contact various deparments within the federal government.  The response has been to refer them to another federal agency or department. No direct answers have been given on any inquiry to date.

It is a “blatant ignoring” of all inquiries from the federal government towards any state oversight, says Howell.

Drew Wright, Executive Director of Legislation and Policy at the Department of Children’s Services, briefly reviewed the adjudications and appeals over suspended licensing of the Baptiste Group in Chattanooga, a migrant children’s housing facility.  A secondary and separate judicial action,  “Notice of License Revocation,” was filed on September 17.  No further comments could be made due to continued litigation.  

Senator Dawn White (Chair) asked how many children were at the facility when it closed due to charges of child abuse by employees, and where did they go?  She was told no information is available, although DCS noted approximately 60 children were at the facility during their last inspection. 

Todd accused the federal government with relocation of the children. One child reportedly involved with the abuse charges against Baptiste was found to be back at his home in Guatemala days after the Baptiste facility was closed by DCS. 

Todd heatedly questioned whether Tennesse is compliant with the federal government in “trafficking” when DCS does not know, and ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement)  will not reveal, what is happening with migrant children who are reportedly being transported in and through Tennessee with no oversight.

Bethany Christian Services is one of only two agencies in Tennessee who receive or place migrant children. Amy Scott, Tennessee State Director for Bethany, reports her agency received approximately 100 migrant children since March 2020.  Bethany is not a residential housing facility. They placed less than 15% of the migrant children in Tennessee with either family members or vetted foster homes.

Since the committee is mandated to determine costs to Tennessee for refugee or illegal immigrants, Dana Anderson, Vice president of Refugee and Immigrant Children’s Services with Bethany, said they are reimbursed for care after submitting direct costs to the federal government.

Bethany admits to reuniting children with other illegals. Todd again charged all government and agencies involved with facilitating the illegal immigration currently experienced at the border.  Further, while Bethany and ORR have a prescribed vetting process for foster homes or family reuniting, Todd says it “reeks of impropriety” when children are abandoned as young as 6 years of age and then quizzed on their history and family connections in order to find placement.

Ms. Scott told Representative Williams that Bethany can only care for 24 children at any one time.  Williams quoted a figure of “3,678 UAC’s” (Unacompanied  Alien Children) in Tennessee.  If Bethany is assisting what amounts to only 4% of that number, where are the rest of the children? 

The committee then heard from Bridge Refugee Service Executive Director, Drocella Mugorewera.  She said  Bridge  has resettled 35 refugees in Knoxville and 25 refugees in Chattanooga the last 2 months.  She did not have the numbers for statewide.  She said Bridge receives refugees from several religious minstries who work directly with the federal government.

Representative Todd asked to read into the record a survey result received from a committee member not present (Griffey).  He noted most polls target 1,000 people and this poll had 2,322 respondents. An average of 97% responded “no” to a series of 7 questions on whether Tennessee should receive or aid illegal immigrants at taxpayers expense for housing, education or jobs.

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee was scheduled but did not appear before the committee.

The committee will meet with their legal department to finalize a summary report on each agency and department reporting to them since this ad hoc committee was formed in June. 

Anne Beckett is the founder of Tennessee Action Group of Fentress County, a grassroots group dedicated to promoting the sovereignty of Tennessee and its citizens.

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