To: Public Editor, New York Times and Editor, New York Times
.@NYTimes: Investigate Claim Ryan Bill Would Not Suspend Refugee Program
Just Foreign Policy
NYT editors should investigate NYT reporting that Paul Ryan's anti-refugee bill “technically does not suspend the refugee program, providing Republicans some cover from criticism they were denying refugees a chance for escape.”
Why is this important?
Carl Hulse, reporting for the New York Times on Paul Ryan’s bill that refugee advocates say would effectively suspend the admission of Syrian and Iraqi war refugees to the United States, wrote: “The measure technically does not suspend the refugee program, providing Republicans some cover from criticism they were denying refugees a chance for escape.” [1] But if refugee advocates opposing the bill are correct in their assessments, then Carl Hulse’s reporting was deeply misleading unless you understand the word “technically” to mean “while effectively doing so.”
The American Immigration Lawyers Association says the bill “would halt the refugee resettlement program for Iraqis and Syrians.” [2] The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service says the bill “would exclude all Syrian refugees from the protection of the United States resettlement system.” [3] The New York Times’ own editorial board wrote that “people who will be denied resettlement by this bill would be the victims of war, people who have been tortured and threatened by the same jihadists the United States now battles.” [4]
Urge the New York Times Public Editor to investigate why the New York Times’ reporting embraced Paul Ryan’s spin that the bill "does not suspend the refugee program" by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/19/paul-ryan-steers-refugee-bill-and-some-cover-to-a-house-vote/
2. http://www.aila.org/advo-media/aila-correspondence/2015/aila-vote-recommendations-hr-4038
3. https://secure2.convio.net/lirs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=215#.Vk39Eq6rRE6
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/opinion/refugees-from-war-arent-the-enemy.html
The American Immigration Lawyers Association says the bill “would halt the refugee resettlement program for Iraqis and Syrians.” [2] The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service says the bill “would exclude all Syrian refugees from the protection of the United States resettlement system.” [3] The New York Times’ own editorial board wrote that “people who will be denied resettlement by this bill would be the victims of war, people who have been tortured and threatened by the same jihadists the United States now battles.” [4]
Urge the New York Times Public Editor to investigate why the New York Times’ reporting embraced Paul Ryan’s spin that the bill "does not suspend the refugee program" by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/19/paul-ryan-steers-refugee-bill-and-some-cover-to-a-house-vote/
2. http://www.aila.org/advo-media/aila-correspondence/2015/aila-vote-recommendations-hr-4038
3. https://secure2.convio.net/lirs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=215#.Vk39Eq6rRE6
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/opinion/refugees-from-war-arent-the-enemy.html