I am not suggesting that the US take in every Iraq refugee displaced by the war, but 7,000 seems like a fairly small number to me.
Most Iraqi refugees have fled to Syria and Jordan, both of which
have recently tried to restrict the influx. The U.N. estimates that
40,000 to 50,000 people flee Iraq each month and have dwindling options
of where to go.Jordan’s chief government spokesman also did not sound impressed with the U.S. plan.
Nasser Judeh said 7,000 is still a small number compared to the 700,000 Iraqi refugees Jordan has had to accommodate.
“7,000 Iraqi refugees is just 1 percent of the number we have,” Judeh said.
Iraqi refugees in large numbers recently have been lining up in
front of the offices of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees in
Damascus to seek international refugee status, with many saying are
seeking emigration but only want to guarantee they have somewhere to go
if forced to leave Syria.
On the other hand, given the administration’s indifference for the UShomeless population and those displaced by Katrina, and considering the nightmare of the Ibrahim family and others stuck in immigration limbo hell, I shudder to think about what may be in store for the Iraqi refugees coming to the US.
Not to mention that they will serve as the new scapegoats/footballs in the anti-immigration extremists’ rhetoric.
UPDATED: I’m curious about your take on this situation, Scout, given your post-Katrina POV. Anything to add?