Having made the decision to begin a war of choice in Iraq, we have a particular responsibility to Iraqis whose only crime has been working with Americans.
Four years after the fall of Baghdad, as many of my worst fears have come to pass, Iraq has become the fastest growing refugee population in the world. The United States has a responsibility to protect the innocent victims of mass violence wherever it can – particularly in areas where suffering is a result of America's actions.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that four million Iraqis - approximately the population of Los Angeles – are refugees, with another 50,000 to 70,000 Iraqis displaced each month. These figures likely underestimate the magnitude of the problem, but they certainly represent a regional humanitarian crisis that must be addressed now before it completely destabilizes neighboring countries and creates a wider security breakdown.
Our moral responsibility here is unquestionable. Iraqis are at risk because they assisted the United States military, the United Nations or NGOs. Tens of thousands of Iraqis who have worked as translators, drivers and even construction workers live a life of fear, yet the U.S. is only allowing 50 Iraqi translators to enter this nation each year. Although the number may be raised to 500 in the next few months, this is not nearly adequate to address the crisis.
I personally became aware of this problem while working with a local high school in Portland that partnered with members of the Oregon National Guard who were trying to bring their Iraqi translator to the U.S. to save her life. Throughout their efforts, they ran into bureaucratic hurdles. Since that time I have heard the same story over and over again. The answer for me is clear: we must keep faith with those who have served alongside our brave men and women in uniform. So why is it that in March the U.S. admitted only 8 Iraqi refugees – and only 700 since the war began?
Today I am introducing the "Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act," which addresses this ongoing humanitarian crisis. This legislation uses all the tools we have at our disposal to admit refugees, provide assistance to the region and foster diplomacy. It also creates a program to admit to the U.S. Iraqis who are at risk because they helped the coalition or reconstruction efforts; establishes a special coordinator for Iraqi refugees; and increases the number of Iraqis who can be admitted to our country.
I hope every Member of Congress will support this broad, ambitious, and comprehensive response to the Iraqi refugee crisis before it is too late for the people who have risked their lives to help Americans. I hope you will help our efforts.