Levin Applauds Inclusion of Iraqi Refugee Legislation in Defense Bill Conference Report

WASHINGTON --- Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) today announced that an agreement reached last night on the conference report for the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill includes a provision to help govern the U.S. response to the Iraqi refugee crisis, which has displaced millions of Iraqis inside of Iraq and in neighboring countries. The Iraqi Refugee Crisis Act, sponsored by Levin along with Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), would establish a refugee processing program for Iraqis associated with the U.S. government and religious minorities, expand a special immigrant status for Iraqis who have worked for the U.S. government, and permit Iraqis to reapply for asylum whose application was denied because conditions in Iraq had changed after Saddam Hussein’s government fell.

“The humanitarian crisis caused by the millions of Iraqis who have been displaced is staggering,” said Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The United States has a moral obligation to help those Iraqis who have assisted or are assisting our military and civilian forces, and this legislation will bring us closer to fulfilling that responsibility. This legislation will also pave the way for religious minority groups – many of whom are caught in the crossfire of sectarian violence and are particularly vulnerable – to apply directly to the U.S. for refugee status.”

The United Nations estimates that over 4 million Iraqis have been displaced by violence, and over 2.3 million have vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq. 1.5 million are now living in Syria, and over 1 million refugees inhabit Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, and Turkey. Most of these Iraqis are determined to be resettled to North America or Europe, and few consider return to Iraq an option.

Of the 2.3 million displaced within Iraq, approximately 20% (460,000) are Iraqi religious minorities, and approximately 5% (23,000) are religious minorities who have supported U.S. efforts.

There are approximately 150,000 Chaldeans in Michigan, the largest community of Chaldeans outside of Iraq.

The Iraqi Refugee Crisis Act has three main components:

Refugee processing for Iraqis associated with the U.S. government. The bill requires the Secretary of State to establish a refugee processing program in Iraq and other countries in the region for Iraqis threatened because of their association with the U.S. government. These groups include Iraqis who were or are employed by or worked for the United States Government in Iraq; Iraqis who were or are employed in Iraq by a media or nongovernmental organization headquartered in the United States or an organization closely associated with the United States mission in Iraq that has received United States Government funding through an official and documented contract, award, grant, or cooperative agreement; and Iraqis who are members of a religious or minority community with close family members in the United States.

Special immigrant status for Iraqis who work for the U.S. government. The bill provides 5,000 special immigrant visas yearly for five years for Iraqis who have worked for the U.S. government in Iraq and are threatened as a result. Applicants must have a positive recommendation or evaluation from a senior supervisor and be approved by the U.S. Ambassador in Iraq or his designee.

Asylum. The bill enables someone who is a national of Iraq, who is in the U.S., and whose claim for asylum was based solely or in part on changed country conditions (on or after March 1, 2003) to file a motion to reopen their case.