Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act is strong first step, but direct assistance to Iraqis is still needed.

 

Contact: Megan Fowler, 202-828-0110 x214
megan@refugeesinternational.org

Congressional Bill Finally Addressing Iraqi Refugee Crisis
Blumenauer bill is strong first step, but direct assistance to Iraqis is still needed

Washington, DC – Refugees International praised Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today for introducing the “Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act of 2007” and taking the lead in the House of Representatives in addressing the Iraqi refugee crisis. Refugees International endorsed the legislation and pushed for full implementation of the bill. In addition, the organization urged Congress and the U.S. Administration to stem the refugee crisis by providing additional humanitarian relief funding directly to Iraq and neighboring countries hosting refugees.

“Refugees International is concerned that the flood of millions of refugees could export Iraq’s instability into the whole region,” said Kristele Younes, Advocate with Refugees International. “We are pleased that Congressman Blumenauer and Congresswoman Schakowsky are taking the lead in the House to help the Iraqi people as this crisis continues. It is unconscionable that the State Department has only allowed one Iraqi refugee into the U.S. in April. We sorely need efforts to increase the number of Iraqis who can resettle here.”

According to statistics from the Department of State’s Refugee Processing Center, the U.S. managed to resettle only one individual Iraqi refugee in April. A total of 69 Iraqis were resettled between October 2006 and May 2007. The “Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act” establishes a special immigrant visa program to allow 15,000 Iraqis to come to the U.S. whose lives are now threatened for assisting American troops, coalition forces and international organizations in Iraq. It also allows an additional 20,000 particularly vulnerable Iraqis to resettle here as refugees, including people who might be barred because they had been forced to provide “material support” to armed groups – such as paying ransoms to kidnappers or providing money or goods under other situations of duress. The bill also authorizes a long-needed study to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of programs to protect and assist Iraqi refugees, but will require further action by Congress to appropriate funding for these programs. Refugees International reminded Congress that such funding helps Iraqis stay in the region until it is safe enough to go home.

“It is important that the Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act now be implemented,” added Younes. “In addition, we must remember that there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis inside the region, but only a small number will be resettled in the U.S. or other countries. For this reason, the U.S. Congress must appropriate a substantial increase in multilateral and bilateral funding for humanitarian relief programs in Iraq and countries hosting Iraqis. The U.S. must also continue to engage with Jordan and Syria on this issue.”

Since November 2006, Refugees International has traveled to Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt to identify the problems facing Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people and has taken the lead in advocating for solutions to those problems. Refugees International is a Washington, DC-based organization that uses advocacy to generate lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection for displaced people around the world and works to end the conditions that create displacement. Read our most recent recommendations at www.refugeesinternational.org/iraq.

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