Clinton Signs Letter To President On Iraqi Refugees

Today, as most loyal Crypt readers surely know, is World Refugee Day. In honor of the occasion, congressional Democrats have sent President Bush a letter asking him to find a solution to the refugee problem inside and outside of Iraq, especially as it relates to Iraqis who assisted the U.S.

The letter is signed by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and was authored by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Alcee Hastings. It was sent on behalf of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, which Cardin and Hastings chair. Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) office received a copy of the letter but did not sign on.

“As you know, the Iraq war and subsequent ethnic and sectarian conflict has caused the displacement of millions of Iraqis,” begins the letter. “Since March 2003, the United States has admitted fewer than 8,000 Iraqi refugees in total. Your Administration’s goal of admitting 12,000 Iraqi refugees during this fiscal year seems an unlikely goal, given that less than 6,000 have been resettled to date.”

The full letter and list of signers after the jump.
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