Iraqi Refugees and Prostitution

Deborah Amos, a veteran correspondent of the Middle East, goes inside the the underworld of prostitution among Iraqi Refugees. These women have been forced into this occupation for a myriad of reasons, chief among them is the fact that some host countries, such as Syria (which is detailed in this piece) bar refugees from employment. Thus refugee women are forced into deplorable situations to support themselves and their families.

Read the Full Article here:

Dancing For their Lives - Deborah Amos - Foreign Policy

And, for a little more info, Deborah Amos, the author of this article (as well as the upcoming book: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East ) is interviewed by everyone's favorite COIN theorist, Abu Muqawama. In it she talks about her thoughts about the future of Iraqi's Refugees, and on a lighter note, her love affair with Middle Eastern cuisine.

In the News : Deportations

Europe Sends More Iraqi Refugees Home - The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal has a story that tells of European countries' attempts to deport an increasing number of refugees, citing their view that Iraq is safe enough for them to return. Another reason it is thought that these policies are taking effect is the recent rise in the popularity of conservative political parties, which has led to a backlash against immigration.

Iraqi Refugee Saved From Deportation At Last Minute-The Daily Star, Lebanon

An Iraqi was detained and led away to be deported, when the Iraqi Embassy, as well as human rights organizations stepped in at the last minute to prevent the deportation from going forward. Lebanese officials had side-stepped the law and illegally detained the man.

Saad Muhammad Ismail, has been in lebanon since 1980, and at the time of his detention had been seeking to be resettled in another country.

From near and far Iraqis voted. Now they wait.

As Iraqis count votes in-country, a considerable number of votes were cast from the outside by ex-pats and refugees. Like the large divergence of Iraq's political spectrum, (Al Jazeera reports that "Around 19 million eligible voters will choose from over 6,000 candidates from 86 political groups looking to gain seats in the 325-member assembly") so too is there a large divergence when it comes to voting and the outlook that these refugees have for the country.

It is apparent that all are interested in the process of these elections. Many are full of hope, seeing this as an opportunity for Iraq to become a strong and proud nation, and that this election will provide them the opportunity to return to their homeland. Yet many are also wary about what the future of Iraq holds. A large number of these refugees feel that they are not in a position to return as they are as of yet unsure that the violence which has dissipated will go away completely or return with a vengeance if certain parties do not get their way. In a land that has been decimated by sectarian violence, and where the votes will undoubtedly reflect sectarian affiliations, many simply are still too afraid to return. For some, going back is not an option due to affiliations with the United States government, as well as a myriad of other reasons. Others cite the low amount of efficient infrastructure and the lack of jobs as being reasons they cannot afford to return.

In Syria, the country in which the largest number of Iraqi refugees reside, some feel that the central government in Baghdad is seeking to marginalize their participation by disputing the population figures among refugees. A recent report by the Christian Science Monitor cites that the Iraqi Government greatly underestimates the number of refugees , and only counts those who have registered for refugee status with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), well below the purportedly one million or more who reside there.

In Jordan, there are thought to be around 200,000 Iraqis, but precise figures are hard to come by as many Iraqi's are not registered as refugees and/or have no permission to live inside the kingdom. Jordanian authorities supervising the voting process for refugees promised to overlook the fact that many Iraqis are here illegally, and are said to be happy with the results of the process.

This Al Jazeera piece from a few days back, does a great job at highlighting the differing situations and opinions Iraqi refugees held on the eve of elections :

As votes are being counted, there is no doubt that Iraqis of all stripes, from near and far are looking on with great interest at the future of their county. Time will only tell what that future will hold.

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.