Trump’s childhood home becomes showcase for refugees
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s childhood home in New York had some new occupants over the weekend — refugees who shared their stories as a way to draw attention to the refugee crisis as the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week with Trump in attendance.
The three-story Tudor-style home in Queens that Trump’s father, Fred, built in 1940 is now a rental available on Airbnb that anyone can stay in for $725 a night. It was auctioned off to an unidentified buyer in March for $2.14 million, its second time going up for auction.
The international anti-poverty organization Oxfam rented it Saturday and invited four refugees to talk with journalists. The Republican president’s administration issued travel bans on people from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees. After various court challenges, the Supreme Court last week allowed the restrictive policy on refugees to remain temporarily. The justices will hear arguments on the bans Oct. 10.
“We wanted to send a strong message to Trump and world leaders that they must do more to welcome refugees,” said Shannon Scribner, acting director for the humanitarian department of Oxfam America.