Hundreds show up for Kalispell refugee talk

An estimated 460 people turned out Tuesday in Kalispell to hear a Bozeman-based immigration speaker detail the reasons he believes settlement of refugees in the United States is a drain on national resources and potential threat to homeland security. 

Paul Nachman said immigrants often don’t assimilate and are a drain on state resources. He pointed out that the two brothers who carried out the Boston Marathon bombings were children of parents who were granted asylum from war-torn Chechnya.

In making his case that the vast majority of those granted asylum or refugee status are not actually in danger, Nachman pointed out that one of the bombers and their parents had traveled back to the area they had fled from in the years leading up to the bombing.

Nachman said the purpose of the United States is stated in the Preamble to the Constitution. He focused on the part that says the people of the United States will “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

“So what the United States is about is benefiting the citizens of the United States, not rescuing the rest of the world from its distress,” Nachman said.

Nachman is a volunteer in a physics group at Montana State University and has a doctorate in astrophysics and astronomy. He has written online articles about immigration issues.

His talk was hosted by the Flathead County chapter of Act for America, a national group working to promote security and defeat terrorism.

Caroline Solomon, Flathead Valley Act for America chapter president, said Tuesday’s event had been planned months in advance and was not scheduled because of demonstrations in Missoula and Helena this month over possible resettlement of Syrian refugees in Montana.

The protests did seem to help heighten interest in the Kalispell event — it had to be moved from Sykes’ Diner to a larger conference room at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell. Collapsible panels were removed to expand the room from the 275 seats originally put out for guests.

Solomon was surprised by the large turnout, the second-largest gathering the group has hosted since its 2014 inception. Only a talk from the organization’s national founder had higher attendance.

“I’m blown away,” Solomon said of the crowd.

After the event, Solomon said that most people came out because they wanted to learn about the refugee resettlement issue and how to speak out against bringing people into the country without proper vetting.

“I think they are ready, in an intelligent and humane way, to express their feelings and what they are standing for,” Solomon said.

The Obama administration announced in September that it intends to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States. Around that same time, a Missoula group called Soft Landing announced it wanted to bring 10 Syrian families to the city. By January, the Missoula County commissioners had signed a letter supporting Soft Landing’s plan to work with a resettlement agency and support up to 100 refugees a year.

Solomon said Act for America is not anti-immigration.

She points to her own Belgian accent as a token of that. The group is against bringing unvetted immigrants to the country who might pose security risks. She said she also believes immigrants should assimilate, learn English and respect the Constitution.

Bigfork resident Jack Paulson said Tuesday’s message resonated with him. He said he was in Missoula when it welcomed Hmong refugees in the 1970s. He did not think the Hmong assimilated well and he doubts Syrians will do much better.

“The Muslims won’t assimilate,” Paulson said. “They won’t.”

Paulson has written congressional representatives about the issue and he hopes more people will pay attention.

“We need more information,” Paulson said. “People are ignorant. This information needs to get out.”

Patricia Wexler of Kalispell stopped by to see what the presentation was about. She said she appreciated the information but hoped there would be a petition or some other resources available to help mobilize people who feel strongly about the issue. She said the United States should focus its resources on its own problems first.

“We cannot help others until we help ourselves,” Wexler said. “America needs to be able to stand strong before we help others.”

Solomon said Act For America is working to figure out some way people can voice their opposition to refugee resettlement in Western Montana.

She said more information will be available at www.actflatheadcounty.wix.com/montana.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.