News Update

Increase to Refugee Reception and Placement Grant

According to a State Department Press Release, the Reception and Placement Program grants will increase this month to help address the challenges refugees face during their first 30-90 days in the United States. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) resettles tens of thousands of refugees each year to safety in the U.S., including over 18,000 Iraqis in 2009. The Reception and Placement Program administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration includes a one-time per capita grant to recent arrivals, but according to the press release, the grant has declined by more than 50% since its inception in 1980. With the challenges refugees face during their initial months in the U.S. and with the economic downturn and decline in availability of jobs, the State Department increased the Reception and Placement per capita grant effective January 1, 2010. While much of the increase will be used to provide direct services and support (such as housing), there will be some flexibility in how some of the funds are used.

Another positive note: the State Department will continue its review of refugee resettlement led by the White House.

Bombings in Baghdad:

The bombings January 25^th and 26^th have rocked the capital city, with bombers targeting government offices and landmark hotels. The timing of the attacks has encouraged speculation that the bombings are in retaliation to the hanging of “Chemical Ali”, but Gen. Ray Odierno states that he sees “absolutely no connection” between the attacks and the execution.

Coordinated attacks on the major city since August have left nearly 450 people killed and hundreds wounded. The recent attacks are believed to have been carried-out by Sunni extremists determined to unseat Iraq’s U.S.-backed Shiite-led government, according to the Washington Post. The banning of hundreds of candidates promoting the Baath Party from the March 2010 elections has aggravated sectarian tensions and threatens the security of the country. For additional coverage and more information on the upcoming election please check out The Ground Truth.

The List Project Online:

We are increasing our visibility on facebook and creating our own page. Please stay tuned to learn when our new page will launch—hope to see you online!

We have 150 followers on twitter! Please join us to get news on our work and the latest related headlines: twitter.com/tlpHQ

Please sir, can you help me?

This was the subject line of an e-mail that showed up on my laptop over Christmas break. Like dozens that had come before it, it described the journey that had brought a hopeful Iraqi translator to the United States in search of safety and a better life for herself. Rachel (not her real name) had been in Austin for only a couple of months, and was feeling quite hopeless, having not found a job or roommate to help pay the rent. She was considering moving to South Dakota, where a friend had gotten a job at a meat packing plant.

I got in touch with my friend Meg, who recently started the Multicultural Refugee Coalition, an organization aimed at helping refugees in the Austin area. We had met at a RefugeeWorks conference earlier in the year. We met with Rachel over lunch, and were able to get in touch with her resettlement agency to see if she qualified for Reception and Placement benefits, which she had not received. We're still waiting on the final word on that issue, but we were successfully convince Rachel to stay in Austin at least a little while longer.

When I started volunteering for the List Project just over a year ago, I didn't know anything about the U.S. resettlement system. I didn't know about the complex relationships between government departments, overseas processing entities, and voluntary resettlement agencies. I definitely didn't know about sponsors, free cases, cash assistance programs, SIV benefits, or pending legislation. I am much more knowledgeable about these things now than I was a year ago. Even today, however, there is still so much I don't know. My understanding of the system is still very incomplete, and it bothers me.

What surprises me the most, though, is that it doesn't seem to bother most of the Iraqis that I work with. For them, its the simple gestures that matter the most. An e-mail. A phone call. A visit. Spending 30 minutes looking over a resume. These simple acts can mean the world to someone who is on the brink of despair. And anybody can do them!

While every person and story is different, they all share the common themes of courage, uncertainty, and hope. Obviously, many of our cases require long hours of research and follow-up to resolve more complex issues, and there is a network of experts helping out behind the scenes both inside and outside of The List Project. But it doesn't take a degree in social work to take that first step and reach out. It just takes someone willing to do it.

If you would like to volunteer as a caseworker for the List Project, please send an e-mail to volunteers@thelistproject.org.

Congress Offers SIVs Same Benefits Available to Refugees

Before dawn this morning, the U.S. Senate convened in a snowstorm and passed by a vote of 88-10 a bill authorizing money for next year's defense spending.

When the President signs this year's Defense Appropriations bill into law, thousands of Iraqi SIVs will have cause to celebrate. That's because the bill eliminates the disparity between federal public benefits available to SIVs and those available refugees.

Until now, SIVs have been eligible for roughly the same assistance as refugees during their first 6-8 months in the United States. Under current law, however, most SIVs become ineligible for federal public benefits at the end of their eighth month in the United States. This ineligibility continues for five years. By contrast, refugees, asylees, immigrants who are spared deportation under the Convention Against Torture, and Cuban or Haitian entrants are not subject to the so-called "five-year bar."

This morning's bill eliminates the 5-year bar for our Iraqi and Afghan SIV allies. Specifically, it makes Iraqi and Afghan SIVs eligible for federal public benefits "to the same extent, and for the same periods of time, as refugees." (.pdf p.119)

Special thanks are in order to Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), who apparently got this change added on July 30, 2009, (see "Congress Expands..."), and to all other elected officials, staff, and advocates who helped make this vital change a reality.

Black Friday...where "war" is a good thing!

I don't like to shop and Black Friday traditionally does not appeal to me, but this article in the New York Times caught my eye,

"Price War Brews Between Amazon and WalMart"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/24shop.html

This means that regardless of whether you are the kind of person that likes to shop online or whether you prefer to join the masses in person on Black Friday, you can get great deals ----so please consider picking up a gift for a recently resettled Iraqi child. We have over 112 kids on our List, ranging in age from 2 months - 17 years of age. Help us bring hope to these kids this holiday season. Remember, for our online shoppers, we have a Wish List at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/R4TGW49926L3

And speaking of hope, The List Kids' "Winter Hope" campaign has just kicked off. Despite the state of the economy, we are hoping people will remember how blessed they are and feel the desire to share what they have (even if it is less than last year!) with others who are struggling. One easy way is to give online through the Winter Holiday Appeal ---the best part is that your donation will be matched up to 50%! Definitely more bang for your giving-bucks!

https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:35652.6546606712/rid:d77b4b3d1c19bcd650cb8d75641c16bd

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From The List Kids Team

In the News

Assistant Secretary of State for PRM Eric Schwartz traveling to Iraq, Jordan and Syria:
Eric Schwartz, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration will travel to Iraq, Jordan and Syria from November 13 to November 19, according to a Department of State press release. Mr. Schwartz will meet with government officials, officials from the UN, international organizations and Iraqi and Palestinian refugees who have benefited from U.S. government-funded programs in the region.


'Denial and Delay' a HRF Report: Refugee Applications Denied Due To Strict Nature of U.S. Anti-terrorism Laws:
According to a Washington Post article, U.S. Anti-terrorism laws are applied so strictly that thousands of refugees fleeing persecution are having their applications denied or indefinitely delayed. Human Rights First released a study this week documenting cases where people have been labeled terrorists and denied entry to the U.S. Human Rights First profiled the cases of several refugees, including Iraqis who had served as interpreters for the U.S. Military. The report concluded that nearly 20,000 asylum-seekers and refugees have been affected since 2001.


World Food Programme Pilots Food Distribution by Text:
WFP in Syria piloted a new project this month, sending food vouchers by text to over 1000 Iraqi families (3,500 beneficiaries), according to IRIN. Each family receives vouchers worth $22 (U.S.) per person and vouchers are sent every two months. While each family still receives 50 percent of their rations through the traditional handout program, WFP believes that if this program is successful it could replace the usual program. To find out more about how these vouchers work, please click here

The List Project Founder, Holland & Knight Senior Pro Bono Counsel Visit The List Project at Vanderbilt

October 27, 2009

Last week, Vanderbilt University Law School (VULS) students provided Kirk Johnson, the founder of The List Project (TLP), and Chris Nugent, Senior Counsel with the Community Services Team at Holland & Knight LLP, with several busy days of policy briefings, leadership discussions, and family visits in the Nashville area.

When Johnson and Nugent arrived at the airport on Thursday night, they were greeted by one of the first Iraqis resettled to Nashville by TLP. Their visit to Vanderbilt began in earnest on Friday morning, with a small meeting of TLP at Vanderbilt’s Steering Committee. Students shared their efforts to help resettled Iraqis obtain meaningful employment, safe housing, medical care, and English language classes; provided updates on the legal and policy research they have been performing; and offered ideas for furthering the objectives of The List Project both in Nashville and nationwide.

TLP leadership then met privately with Professor Mike Newton, formerly a senior advisor to the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues at the U.S. Department of State. Drawing on his extensive on-the-ground experience in Iraq as a legal advisor to the Iraqi High Tribunal, Newton offered strategic insights into TLP’s policy work. He also helped cement the unique collaboration between TLP and VULS by securing a number of future legal internships for Vanderbilt law students.

The day continued with a thought-provoking talk by Johnson, Nugent, and an Iraqi refugee living in Nashville. Approximately 60 people attended the discussion, including local community leaders, several Iraqi families, and many interested, committed law students and undergraduates. Johnson stressed the urgency of resettling threatened Iraqis who aided the American government in Iraq. He also highlighted the need to hold the U.S. government accountable—and keep it informed—as the drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq continues. Nugent, who manages Holland & Knight’s team of attorneys assisting TLP, discussed some of the challenges of the legal process for Iraqis on The List, who include translators, engineers, and other highly qualified professionals. Several Iraqis asked questions about their lives in the United States and how to continue moving forward in this country.

After sharing hummus and kabobs at lunch, members of TLP travelled with Johnson and Nugent to meet with individual Iraqi families, hear their stories, and share insights, thoughts, and hope with them. Over several cups of chai tea, each family explained their fears about their time in Iraq, their struggles after coming to the United States, and their joy at meeting members of TLP. Johnson listened closely and encouraged these Iraqis to keep moving forward despite the hard economic times many of them face. The day ended about 8:00 p.m. that evening with a hearty Iraqi dinner. Early the next morning, Nugent and Andrew Free, the head of TLP at Vanderbilt, ventured out to nearby Smyrna, Tennessee, to meet 16 more Iraqi members of the local TLP community.

Special thanks are in order to Samara Spence, Rachel Gore, Rachel Weisshaar, Shannon Fyfe, John Spragens, and all TLP@VU members for making this visit a success. All told, TLP@VU donated over $1,000 to make this trip a reality. It has already begun paying dividends.

TLP@VU aims to aid Iraqi refugees in Nashville during their transition to U.S. society. Vanderbilt law students involved with TLP include Arabic-speaking veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, students who have worked in the past with refugee groups, and others who are inspired and committed to helping Iraqi families. If you are interested in joining the Vanderbilt chapter and helping resettled Iraqis in Nashville, we encourage you to join Netroots, our online community, and contact Andrew Free to learn more about local opportunities.

Evaluating the Iraqi Resettlement Experience

Georgetown Law's Human Rights Action, in partnership with the Human Rights Institute at Georgetown Law, released a report: Refugee Crisis in America; Iraqis and Their Resettlement Experience earlier this month. The report examines the challenges of resettling to the United States, as well as evaluates the effectiveness of the U.S. resettlement system. Over nine months, students interviewed refugees and representatives from UNHCR, IOM, NGOs, and the U.S. Government in Washington, DC, Detroit, MI, San Diego, CA and Amman, Jordan. The report finds that while the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is unique and accepts more refugees than the rest of the world combined, it is in dire need of more funding and programs need to be designed to promote long-term self-sufficiency and integration. Please read the report to see more findings and recommendations.

Intersections International: Iraqi Voices Amplification Project

Intersections International (an organization based in New York City that works to build relationships and promote justice, reconciliation and peace) is traveling in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon with a group of artists to give a voice to Iraqi refugees in the region. The group of eight (including two Intersections staff members, a videographer, a media expert, a dancer and a singer) will be traveling in the Middle East through October 17th and will create a multi-media presentation upon their return. Intersections has created a blog to document their findings and share their experiences. With thoughtful posts and interesting video clips posted daily, the reader is able to learn about the consequences of conflict and displacement. Please visit the blog to follow the group on their journey and be sure to stay tuned for more information on their upcoming presentation!

Gay Iraqis face Torture and Death

A new feature article entitled "The Hunted" by Matt McAllister is now in New York Magazine, and details the grave threats posed towards gay Iraqis, as well as the pogroms that are increasingly being carried out against them there.

With all the catastrophe that has embroiled Iraq in the over 6 years that United States forces invaded Iraq, one of the issues that has been overshadowed most by sectarian strife and the myriad forms of other violence there has been the treatment of gays. They cannot advocate for equal rights or openly show pride in who they are as those in Tel Aviv, New York, or San Francisco can. They are the lost minority, devoid of ethnic and religious ties and therefore lacking political influence and the protections that come with political allegiances.

As McAllister points out "there are no votes to be gained or power to be accrued in any Iraqi community, Shia, Sunni, Kurds, Christians, Turkmen by supporting gay people. Gays in Iraq today are essentially a defenseless target."

Although this is not a new threat it has been raised to a higher profile as a result of the exit of U.S. forces from Iraqi cities. Many Iraqi militias, most notably the Mahdi Army, which is affiliated with the fiery Shia cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, have began conducting Taliban-like moral campaigns to rid Iraq of so called deviants. This, as a recent Human Rights Watch report states, includes the targeting of "men seen as effeminate" or suspected of homosexual conduct."

Horrible atrocities have been committed by these groups, the most notable of which, and gruesome beyond comprehension, first noted in Iraqi media, and later confirmed by Human Rights Watch, is the of the act of gluing shut the anuses of alleged homosexuals, and then forcing them to drink laxatives, causing their insides to burst because of diarrhea, poisoning them to death.

Those seeking refuge have little options for relief as conservative Arab society prevents them from finding safe refuge in nearby Arab states. Of those that apply for refugee status, the wait is long and means they must remain in harms way while their requests are processed. The lucky ones profiled in McAllister's article, if they can be deemed lucky, as they have lost their livelihoods and numerous friends, were saved by the goodwill of common citizens such as HRW's Scott Long, who helped to set up safe houses and help these Iraqis establish a new beginning overseas. Like all refugees, these Iraqis are grateful for the help that in many cases saved their lives. Yet they also realize that they may never be able to return to their homes and their previous lives, and they agonize over friends and family whose deaths may be lurking around the next corner.

Click Here to read the full article: The Hunted @ nymag.com

Click Here to Read the HRW report : "They Want us Exterminated"

To donate and help with efforts in resettling Iraqis of LGBT orientation: Iraqi LGBT

"Aftermath": Lives Interrupted

Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the award-winning creators of The Exonerated, traveled to the Middle East in June 2008 to interview 37 Iraqi refugees who fled their country for relative safety in Jordan. Following their visit, Ms. Blank and Mr. Jensen turned their conversations into a 90-minute documentary drama called "Aftermath". The play, showing through October 18 at the New York Theater Workshop, follows the lives of nine Iraqis since the U.S. invasion in 2003. As noted in a review by the New York Times, "Aftermath" is shaped to make you feel as if you are the interviewer with the Iraqis always offering tea or coffee and answering unasked questions. An interpreter, Shahid, is always present, showing how those who know English are indispensable to the foreigners in their country and he provides translation and context for the Iraqis throughout the play. Following the lives of a doctor, an imam, an artist, a pharmacist and others, you find yourself unable to look away throughout the 90-minute production and leave wondering how many other devastating stories are left untold. Directed by Ms. Blank, "Aftermath" is an incredible representation of how violence, chaos and displacement have changed the lives of millions of Iraqis.

Click here to watch a trailer of the play.