On May 29, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced initiatives to implement a strict set of newly created security procedures for processing Iraqi refugees into the US. By detecting terrorists possibly posing as loyal Iraqi refugees, the new guidelines aim to ensure a safe resettlement process for endangered Iraqis and to protect US national security.
Addressing a Growing Crisis
Initially, the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime instilled a sense of optimism for Iraqi refugees as hundreds of thousands returned to Iraq. However, intensified sectarian violence and terrorist activity have caused more than 12 percent of the Iraqi population to leave their homes in Iraq. By April 2007, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 4 million Iraqi refugees are presently displaced around the world. Close to 2 million are located in neighboring countries including Syria and Jordan, while 1.9 million are believed to be internally displaced throughout Iraq. The internally displaced people within Iraq could reach 2.7 million by the end of 2007.
For security reasons, only approximately 800 Iraqi refugees were allowed entry into the US since the start of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In February 2007, the US government announced a goal of 7,000 Iraqi refugees, many of whom worked for coalition forces, to be allowed entry into the country by September 2007, a large increase from allowing only 202 to enter during 2006. With 95 percent of Iraqi refugees living in conditions of poverty throughout the Middle East, the new screening guidelines will enable the US to take a larger role in addressing the increasing crisis.
Screening Methods
Although DHS authorities have not specified the details of the new screening procedures, possible methods could include:
•Additional interviews covering family background and coalition supported operations
•Utilizing an employer cross check database to validate work history
•Implementing verifiable identification cards that use biometric screening techniques. Collected biometrics would measure physical and behavioral characteristics. Physical characteristics may include fingerprints or eye retina scans while behavioral characteristics may include signature analysis.
•References from coalition military commanders
Probable Areas for Placement
US Government officials estimate that half of the expected 7,000 Iraqi refugees arriving by the end of the year will be placed in southeastern Michigan. Around 300,000 people with Middle Eastern origins reside in southeastern Michigan, specifically in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn. With numerous Arabic businesses, local mosques, and the national Arab-American museum, Dearborn is considered by many to be the unofficial Arab Capital of the US. Immigration aid workers in Dearborn are preparing for the influx by facilitating language and job training, handling housing donations and establishing local financial aid options. Tennessee and Southern California could also be recipients for a large portion of the incoming Iraqi refugees. The largest community of expatriate Kurds resides in Nashville, Tennessee while Southern California mosques helped many Iraqi refugees relocate after the 1991 Gulf War.
Future Implications
Due to insurgent violence, thousands of Iraqis are now forced to leave their homes every month. With numbers surpassing 2 million displaced people worldwide, Iraqis are currently the fastest growing refugee population. Processing 7,000 Iraqis by the end of this year into the US is small in scale.
However, the improvements are an important step for US humanitarian efforts. If the enhanced screening procedures prove to be successful in preventing terrorists from infiltrating the refugee screening process, the number of endangered Iraqis allowed into the US should continue to grow.
We also believe this program will have long-term consequences, as the ability to determine the success of keeping potential terrorists from gaining entry via this process will require a lengthy assessment period.
