Posted on 09/24/2007 7:10:38 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
About 12,000 Iraqi refugees will be admitted into the United States over the next year as measures to speed up the process begin to take effect, government officials said yesterday. The new target represents an increase in the number and pace of Iraqi refugees entering the country and means that 17 percent of the 70,000 refugees expected to be admitted next year will come from Iraq, officials from the State Department told reporters...
In February, State Department officials promised to expand their commitment to Iraqi refugees, but long delays in reviewing applications have drawn sharp criticism..
Officials said that of the 11,000 refugee applicants referred to the United States by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, only 1,135 have been admitted. More are scheduled to enter before the end of the month, but officials acknowledged that they will probably fall short of the State Department's target of 2,000 arrivals this fiscal year...Yesterday's announcement was received with caution by some lawmakers...But administration officials defended their record ...
"We had to literally build programs in Syria and Jordan," said Terry Rusch, who directs the office of admissions in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. She added that the refugee program has "accelerated dramatically.."
Paul Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary for policy at Homeland Security, described the government's efforts over the past six months as "heroic...You show me another government program that goes from a standing start to full on in six months," he said. Of the 4,300 Iraqi refugees interviewed this fiscal year, he said, 753 have been rejected for reasons including criminal records and inconsistencies in their stories. The officials conceded difficulty in processing cases in Syria, where a number of U.S. officials have been denied entry visas.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Are these people the ones who could change Iraq for the better?
Unbelievable. We need a freeze on all immigration from that region until further notice.
We should certainly bring our troops home instead of this.
This is infuriating.
Fight Them Over There So We Won't Have To Fight Them Over Here
Bush has been a huge disappoint the last few years.
More Muslims. Just what we need. (And no, they’re not Christian Iraqis, because that was specifically excluded as a reason for giving them asylum status.)
They should stay home and help to build a decent country for themselves, rather than come here and get on the refugees’ free-money from taxpayers bandwagon. This is a huge mistake, it is making it easier for us to be infiltrated by people we know to be our enemies, and there is no doubt it will result in the entrance of more than one terrorist. It could result in the loss of American lives on American soil. Our government has ceased to protect us, and instead wants to look good to the “international community.” If they come here, they should be required to live in the Kennedy compound.
You win the exploding cigar for the understatement of the year.
Leni
U.S. Will Speed Entry Of Refugees Terrorists From Iraq
There all better now
Of course, it's time to speed up the withdrawal of our troops as well.
“” If they come here, they should be required to live in the Kennedy compound”
And build windmills!
Fight Them Over There So We Won't Have To Fight Them Over Here
Bush has been a huge disappoint the last few years.
I guess that's the old plan. Now it's "import them over here so we can fight them over here". I'm beyond disappointed with Bush in his second term. I'm now approaching furious and disgusted.
Yes, we are talking about importing tens of thousands of additional Muslims AND THEIR FAMILIES, without the ability to screen them adequately. And our government is moving full speed ahead on this insane plan.
Exactly. I suppose we’re following the politically correct British model of unlimited Muslim immigration that is ruining their country. Another great idea from Washington.
Leave this to our own State Dept. They have not been a friend of America or Americans for a long long time. They’ve spent too much time sucking up to foreigners and living with them
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