Iraqi Refugee Stories

My life is being wasted here."
MirahFrom the small city of Kut in the south of Iraq, "Mirah," now 27, was working on a degree in English at her local university when the U.S.entered Iraq in 2003. Read Mirah's story.

"Ali," Age 40 >>

In The News

Program helps Iraqi refugees prepare for college in U.S.
Journal Times (WI) - 1/4/2010

UN agency mobilizes Iraqis to extend helping hand to fellow refugees in Syria
UN News Centre - 12/31/2009

Remembering Iraq's Refugees
LA Times - 12/30/2009

Foreign Interpreters Hurt in Battle Find U.S. Insurance Benefits Wanting
LA Times/ProPublica - 12/18/2009

UNHCR reiterates concern about involuntary returns to Iraq amid violence
United Nations - 12/11/2009

Michigan remains a magnet for Iraqi refugees
Detroit Free Press - 11/23/2009

Iraqis at home in Midlands
Omaha World-Herald - 11/23/2009

Iraqi Displacement
Omaha World-Herald - 11/23/2009

Iraq vice president vetoes new election law
Los Angeles Times - 11/19/2009

U.S. pledges to keep taking in Iraqi refugees
Reuters - 11/18/2009

Simple Pleasures and Long-term Care for Iraqi Refugees in Syria
Huffington Post - 11/16/2009

In the Iraq war, Christians pushed to the brink
Christian Science Monitor - 11/15/2009

Iraqi Refugees Discover Security Comes at a Price
PBS NewsHour - 11/10/2009

UN to send Iraqi refugees food aid by text message
Reuters - 10/27/2009

UN: Most Iraqi refugees in program go to US
Associated Press - 10/16/2009

Iraqi refugees in U.S. find no easy road to a new home
Denver Post - 10/11/2009

Web forums help Iraqi refugees adapt to America
Kansas City Star - 9/27/2009

UN agency hails Belgium’s decision to accept Iraqi refugees
UN News Centre - 9/4/2009

Iraqi Immigrants Struggle to Adjust to Life in U.S.
NY Times - 8/13/2009

Hard to reach: Iraqi refugees
Middle East Online - 8/11/2009

From A Syrian Prison To A Chicago Apartment: An Iraqi Refugee's Story
Huffington Post - 8/10/2009

Film megastar Jolie visits Iraq refugees
AFP - 7/23/2009

Palestinians stuck near Iraq to move to Slovakia-UN
Reuters - 7/21/2009

UN suspends medical aid to Iraqi families in Jordan
AFP - 7/21/2009

UNHCR funding shortfall for Iraqi refugees
IRIN News - 7/6/2009

Iraqi teens find community on city soccer field
Baltimore Sun - 7/5/2009

Iraqi political refugees make Texas home
Austin American Statesman - 7/4/2009

UCC Synod expresses concern for Iraqi refugees
Worldwide Faith News - 7/2/2009

Unicef praises Syrian support for Iraqi refugees
Gulf News - 7/1/2009

Many Iraqi refugees in US now in dire straits
Christian Science Monitor - 6/18/2009

Report: Iraqi refugees in U.S. need more help
Houston Chronicle - 6/16/2009

Economy crushes refugees' hopes of jobs
Washington Herald (Everett, WA) - 6/1/2009

Demand and Supply: Fleeing Iraq is one thing; seeking help for trauma is another
Detroit Metro Times - 5/27/2009

Prospects are dismal for returning Iraqi refugees
Kansas City Star - 5/24/2009

EU announces 20m euros aid for vulnerable Iraqis
AFP - 5/15/2009

Iraq's Refugees: Again, Spooked Away from Home
Time Magazine - 5/13/2009

UN alters its Iraq refugee guidelines
Modesto Bee - 5/7/2009

UN revises refugee guidelines to show Iraq safer
Washington Post - 5/5/2009

A Syrian view on the future of relations with the U.S.
Foreign Policy Online - 5/1/2009

US Refugee Resettlement Program Needs Reform
Providence Journal - 4/30/2009

Obama's First 100 Days: A Humanitarian Perspective
Reuters AlertNet - 4/29/2009

Refugees from Iraq in New War
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - 4/29/2009

Iraqis Still Face Hurdles in Coming to U.S.
Committee to Protect Journalists Blog - 4/29/2009

Two disillusioned Iraqi families leave Stafford for Middle East
The Free-lance Star - 3/23/2009

Video: Actor Romola Garai visits the al-Tanaf refugee camp
Guardian - 3/20/2009

"A Matter of Life and Death" for Iraqi Refugees
Spiegel Online International - 3/20/2009

UN asks Europe to copy Germany and take Iraqi refugees
International Herald Tribune/Reuters - 3/20/2009

First Iraqi Family Departs Jordan for Resettlement in Germany
Reuters AlertNet - 3/16/2009

US in Focus: Iraqi Immigrants in the United States
Migration Information Source - 3/5/2009

Sweden urges Europe to take more Iraqi refugees
Reuters - 3/5/2009

Iraqi refugees returning to danger zone to escape poverty in Utah
Salt Lake Tribune - 3/1/2009

Refugees struggle to find work as Houston economy slows
Houston Chronicle - 2/26/2009

Al-Mikdad discusses with Iraqi Minister of immigration the situation of Iraqis in Syria
Syrian Arab News Agency - 2/22/2009

Iraq's Assyrian Christians
International Herald Tribune - 2/17/2009

Iraqi refugees in Syria reluctant to return
Reuters UK - 2/12/2009

Baghdad Life: Refugee Applicants Question U.S. Screening Exams
WSJ Blog - 2/11/2009

Palestinians dumped by road in no man's land
Times UK - 2/6/2009

Budget cuts threaten homeless housing projects in Iraq
Pak Tribune - 1/6/2009

Impoverished Iraqi refugees must rebuild lives 'from scratch'
Salt Lake Tribune - 1/5/2009

U.S. welcome disappoints Iraqi interpreter who lost his legs
Salt Lake Tribune - 1/5/2009

Why Many Iraqi Refugees Who Want to Settle in Detroit Are Being Sent Elsewhere
U.S. News & World Report - 12/23/2008

Iraqi refugees hope Maine is last stop
Kennebec Journal Morning Sentinel - 12/17/2008

US Commission Reports Iraqi Religious Minorities Face Persecution
Voice of America - 12/17/2008

Freedom Fighters Need Not Apply
Washington Post - 12/15/2008

Egypt: Lack of income main problem for Iraqi refugees
IRIN News - 12/11/2008

The debt we owe Iraqi interpreters
Christian Science Monitor - 12/9/2008

Iraqi Refugees Still Too Scared to Return Home
Huffington Post - 12/4/2008

Iraqi Refugees Mostly Stay Away
Chicago Tribune - 12/1/2008

EU Ready to Accept 10,000 Refugees
BBC News - 11/28/2008

Will New Administration Deliver on U.S. Pledge to Iraqi Refugees?
ProPublica - 11/6/2008

Tens of thousands of Iraqis may come to U.S. in '09
Reuters - 9/12/2008

US Surpasses Iraqi refugee admissions goal
Associated Press - 9/12/2008

Pining for the Home They Fear
Wall Street Journal - 9/9/2008

Chattanooga to resettle Iraqi refugees
Chattanooga Times Free Press - 9/9/2008

Palestinian Refugees Find Shelter in Iceland
Jerusalem Post - 9/8/2008

An Iraqi Exodus
Washington Post - 9/7/2008

Iraqi Refugees: A New Plan
Reuters/AlertNet - 8/7/2008

UNHCR cash for Iraqi refugees, but many vow never to return
IRIN - 8/6/2008

An Iraqi Hero Awaits Thanks
Baltimore Sun - 8/4/2008

US shatters record for Iraqi refugee admissions
Associated Press - 8/1/2008

A lifeline for Iraq's refugees
The Guardian - 7/30/2008

Iraqis who worked for army denied US entry
San Francisco Chronicle - 7/27/2008

Reporter's Iraqi Friends Dream of America
LA Times - 7/27/2008

US Can't Keep Up On Visas for Iraqis
Washington Post - 7/25/2008

US Expands Visa Program for Iraqis
NY Times - 7/25/2008

Visa program expanded for Iraqis who worked for the US
Associated Press - 7/24/2008

Iraqi refugees have a new word for home - it's Minnesota
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune - 7/14/2008

Iraqi Refugee Survives Day to Day, Helps Others Settle in U.S.
Bloomberg - 7/14/2008

US contractors block refugee applications
NPR - 7/14/2008

Iraqi refugees find the door to Sweden closing
LA Times - 7/13/2008

In Jordan, Aid for Iraqi Refugees Is Often Redirected
Christian Science Monitor - 7/2/2008

The High Price of Ransom
Dan Rather Reports on HD.net - 7/1/2008

Driving Cabs Instead of Building Bridges, Iraqis Languish in U.S.
Washington Post - 6/25/2008

One Man's Bid to Help Iraqis Enter the U.S.
MSNBC - 6/19/2008

"Little Baghdad" Thrives in Sweden
MSNBC - 6/19/2008

EU allocates US $68 million to help Palestinian and Iraqi refugees
International Herald Tribune - 6/18/2008

Leave or Stay: US-Employed Iraqis Ponder Opportunity
Wall Street Journal (blog) - 6/17/2008

Iraqi Journalists Offered U.S. Asylum Face Fears
NPR - 6/16/2008

Iraqis who worked for U.S. find resettlement aid slow in coming
Washington Post - 6/16/2008

Iraqi pays UN refugee agency $8 million to assist Iraqi refugees in Jordan
International Herald Tribune - 6/15/2008

Iraqi refugee crisis grows as West turns its back
The Independent - 6/15/2008

For some Iraqi war refugees, business is booming
Christian Science Monitor - 6/10/2008

In the land of opportunity, Iraqi refugees cling to hope, survival
AFP - 6/9/2008

US Admitted 1,721 Iraqi Refugees in June
Associated Press - 6/3/2008

US nears goal for Iraqi refugee admissions
Associated Press - 6/3/2008

Helping Refugees Helps U.S.
The Coloradan - 5/20/2008

Iraq's Slow Refugee Funding Has Ripple Effect
Washington Post - 5/17/2008

Officers Battle Visa Hurdles for Iraq Aides
New York Times - 5/14/2008

Adding Shame to Humiliation
Guardian - 5/13/2008

UN survey finds few Iraqi refugees plan to return
International Herald Tribune/AP - 4/29/2008

Welcome wears thin as refugees swamp Swedish town of "Little Iraq"
Times Online - 4/19/2008

No Priority for Christian Iraqi Refugees: EU Presidency
Reuters - 4/19/2008

Palestinian Refugees Who Fled Iraq Violence Warmly Welcomed to New Life in Chile
International Herald Tribune - 4/7/2008

An advocate for Iraq's displaced Christians
Los Angeles Times - 4/4/2008

Worldview: Bush Shamefully Flees Iraqi Refugee Crisis
Philadelphia Inquirer - 4/2/2008

Number of Iraqi Refugees to US Spikes
Associated Press - 4/1/2008

Strained by influx of asylum-seekers, Sweden closes doors to Iraqis
International Herald Tribune - 4/1/2008

"Hundreds" of Iraqi Journalists Have Fled
Guardian - 3/25/2008

A savage sanctuary for Iraqi asylum seekers
Guardian - 3/25/2008

Flow of Refugees Back Home to Iraq Slows Despite Improvements in Security
International Herald Tribune - 3/23/2008

Report: World Ignoring Refugee Crisis
CNN - 3/20/2008

France to Receive Nearly 500 Iraqi Christian Refugees
Christian Post - 3/20/2008

The Iraqi Refugee View from Syria
BBC - 3/20/2008

Mission Still Not Accomplished
New York Times - 3/20/2008

Iraqi Aides Hope for New Life in America
Boston Globe/Associated Press - 3/20/2008

Displacement of Iraqis Takes Heavy Toll
Associated Press - 3/17/2008

Iraq, 5 Years On, A Nation of Refugees
Wall Street Journal - 3/17/2008

Jordan to Host Conference to Discuss Iraqi Refugee Issues
Xinhua News Agency - 3/16/2008

Iraqi Asylum Seekers Given Deadline to Go Home or Face Deportation in UK
Guardian - 3/13/2008

Helping Iraqi Refugees Who Helped America
International Herald Tribune - 3/11/2008

No-Man's Land: Palestinian Refugees in Syria
Huffington Post - 3/11/2008

Work Not Enough for Iraqi Refugees
Marketplace - 3/6/2008

A Very Humble Home in Jordan
Marketplace - 3/5/2008

Hunger Is a New Part of Their Life
Marketplace - 3/4/2008

Family Faces Bleak Future Together
Marketplace - 3/2/2008

US Congressional Panel Considers Iraqi Refugee Problem
Voice of America - 2/27/2008

UN Urges Iraq, US to Help with Refugees
Boston Globe/Associated Press - 2/26/2008

UN Official: Help Iraqi Refugees Now
Time - 2/26/2008

Iraqi Interpreter Enlists in Army, Expects to Return to Homeland
Boston Globe/Associated Press - 2/23/2008

Syria and Iraq engage diplomatically
United Press International - 2/21/2008

Less than generous
The Economist - 2/21/2008

UNHCR hails Lebanon move to legalise Iraqi refugees
Reuters - 2/21/2008

Sweden Home to More Iraqi Refugees Than Other European Countries
Voice of America - 2/20/2008

INTERVIEW-U.N. says Iraqi refugee return still long way ahead
Reuters - 2/19/2008

Iraqi Refugees Return to Challenges
Voice of America - 2/19/2008

High Commissioner Guterres wraps up mission to Syria, Iraq and Jordan
Relief Web - 2/19/2008

UN says Syria, Jordan need more help with Iraqi influx
AFP - 2/18/2008

UN Posts Refugee Official in Baghdad
AP - 2/17/2008

U.N. seeks help for 'desperate' Iraqi refugees
CNN - 2/14/2008

SYRIA: Not safe enough for Iraqi refugees to return - UNHCR chief
IRIN - 2/14/2008

IRAQ: More government money for IDPs, refugees
IRIN - 2/14/2008

Syrian President meets UN on plight of Iraqi refugees
AFP - 2/13/2008

IRAQ: Parliament committee demands fixed budget to aid the displaced
IRIN - 2/10/2008

UN agencies warn that lack of funds could affect assistance to Iraqi refugees in Syria
AP - 2/10/2008

Jordan: Iraqi government calls for refugee visa fine waiver
Relief Web - 2/7/2008

Dingell questions fed aid of Iraq war refugees
The Detroit News - 2/7/2008

Angelina Jolie calls for aid to refugees on Iraq visit
AFP - 2/7/2008

More Iraqis heading to Syria than returning home: UN
AFP - 2/6/2008

US May Not Meet Iraq Refugee Goal
AP - 2/5/2008

Iraq Refugees: Bring Iraqis here
Seattle Post-Intelligencer - 2/5/2008

The Iraqi Refugee Mess Just Got Messier
The Huffington Post - 2/5/2008

Processing of Iraqi Refugees Remains Slow, U.S. Says
The New York Times - 2/5/2008

U.S. Program Accepted 1,324 Iraqi Refugees in Past Four Months
Washington Post - 2/5/2008

U.S. admits more Iraqi refugees, but pace slow
Reuters - 2/4/2008

False Sense of Security in Iraq
Foreign Policy in Focus - 1/29/2008

Denmark grants asylum to 370 Iraqis
The Economic Times - 1/28/2008

Refugees are too scared to return to Iraq
Times Online - 1/27/2008

Lawmakers Seek $1.5 Billion to Help Iraqi Refugees
The Washington Post - 1/24/2008

Iraqis adjust to life in N.H.
The Boston Globe - 1/22/2008

Asylum Program Falls Short For Iraqis Aiding U.S. Forces
The Washington Post - 1/22/2008

Iraqi refugees: 'We can't return" (Part 2 of 2)
BBC News - 1/18/2008

Iraqi refugees: "We can't return" (Part 1 of 2)
BBC News - 1/18/2008

Iraqi refugees: living in limbo
Financial Times - 1/18/2008

Arab stars to aid Iraqi refugees
Al Jazeera - 1/17/2008

EGYPT: Iraqi refugee return driven by lack of money
IRIN - 1/13/2008

Bush Urged to Add Iraqi Refugees to Mideast Agenda
OneWorld.net - 1/9/2008

UN: Visa Limits Stop Fleeing Iraqis
AP - 1/9/2008

Red Crescent says 46,000 refugees return Iraq end 2007
Reuters - 1/8/2008

UNHCR Iraq appeal seeks $261 million for 2008
UNHCR - 1/8/2008

Iraqi Refugees in Turkey Seek Move to US
AP - 1/7/2008

Refugees Feel Pressure to Go Home
U.S, News and World Report - 1/2/2008

Admissions of Iraqi Refugees Lagging
The Baltimore Sun - 1/2/2008

Iraqi refugees turn to sex trade in Syria
Reuters - 12/31/2007

Refugees from war-torn Iraq face difficult wait
San Jose Mercury News - 12/26/2007

Refugees Risk Coming Home to an Unready Iraq
The New York Times - 12/20/2007

Hope for Iraqi refugees
Los Angeles Times - 12/19/2007

UNHCR begins distributing financial aid to Iraqi refugees in Syria
AP - 12/16/2007

Iraqi Refugees Are Arrested in Lebanon
AP - 12/16/2007

UNHCR begins distributing financial aid to Iraqi refugees in Syria
AP - 12/16/2007

Iraqi Refugees Are Arrested in Lebanon
AP - 12/16/2007

Balkanized Homecoming
Washington Post - 12/16/2007

Some Iraqis returnees face uncertain lives
Los Angeles Times - 12/13/2007

When Iraq's Middle Class Flee, They Often Get Poor
NPR - 12/11/2007

Report Details Return of Iraq Refugees
The New York Times - 12/4/2007

US admissions of Iraqi refugees drop again despite vows to boost numbers
AP - 12/3/2007

Lawmakers Lobby to Bring Iraqi Translators to U.S.
NPR - 11/27/2007

Homesick Iraqi refugees return to uncertain future
Reuters - 11/20/2007

Iraqis With Ties to U.S. Cross Border Into Despair
Washington Post - 11/19/2007

Syria, U.S. Agree on Processing Iraqi Refugees
The New York Times - 11/8/2007

Iraqi Refugees in Arizona
The Washington Post - 11/8/2007

U.S. Falls Short of Iraqi Refugees Goal
AP - 11/1/2007

Help Wanted
The New York Times - 10/31/2007

What I Risked as an Iraqi Journalist
The Washington Post - 10/21/2007

Syria Shuts Main Exit From War for Iraqis
The New York Times - 10/21/2007

Save the Gnostics
The New York Times - 10/6/2007

Insane on asylum
The Los Angeles Times - 10/4/2007

Refugees? What Refugees?
The New York Times - 9/27/2007

U.S. defends its Iraqi refugee policy
The Los Angeles Times - 9/22/2007

No Way Out
The New York Times - 9/19/2007

Crocker Blasts Refugee Process
The Washington Post - 9/17/2007

U.S. Asylum Remains Elusive for Iraqis
The Associated Press - 9/4/2007

Abandoned at the Border
The New York Times - 8/31/2007

Obstacles Keep Iraqi Refugees From U.S.
The New York Times - 8/29/2007

Another Test in Iraq: Our Aid to Refugees
Washington Post - 8/22/2007

The Refugee Crisis: Helping Iraqis Who Helped Us
The Washington Post - 8/12/2007

VIDEO: Dangerous Liaisons
CNN - 8/10/2007

Well-Off Fleeing Iraq Find Poverty and Pain in Jordan
The New York Times - 8/10/2007

Envoy Urges Visas For Iraqis Aiding U.S
Washington Post - 7/22/2007

Fleeing Our Responsibility: The U.S. Owes Succor to Iraqi Refugees
The Washington Post - 6/24/2007

UN: Visa Limits Stop Fleeing Iraqis
AP - 1/9/2007