Iraqi translators

House anti-refugee bill could halt visas for Iraqi translators 

Rescuing Iraqis who aided U.S. troops has long enjoyed bipartisan support.

By Nahal Toosi

Iraqi translators and other staff who worked with the U.S. military in Iraq are among tens of thousands of people who could be shut out of the United States under Republican-led legislation that passed the House on Thursday.

The bill, which passed with broad Democratic support, aims to halt the entry of refugees fleeing Syria following still-uncertain reports that one such migrant was involved in last week's attacks in Paris.

But in addition to Syrians, the legislation covers Iraqis — many of whom are in danger from the Islamic State and other militant groups due to their work with the American government and other U.S. organizations following the 2003 invasion of their country, refugee advocates say.

Iraqi translators in particular face dangers, and rescuing them has been a priority for the U.S. troops they served. They are among at least 58,000 Iraqis with ties to the U.S. who are still awaiting processing, according to the International Refugee Assistance Project, and providing them a pathway to the United States has enjoyed bipartisan support.

The anti-refugee bill, which President Barack Obama has threatened to veto, requires a multi-agency certification process before any Iraqi or Syrian refugee can be resettled in the United States. The certification process would come on top of existing security and other checks that typically take years for Iraqis and Syrians.

If the bill ever becomes law, simply nailing down the details of how the certification process will work could take months if not years, refugee advocates said, and applying it to individuals will further extend their wait even as they face ongoing threats.

The bill "creates a bureaucratic review process that could take years to implement and would effectively shut down refugee resettlement," the Refugee Council USA wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who spearheaded the House bill, have stressed it is designed to protect Americans from potential terrorist threats, not permanently bar refugees. It's not clear whether the bill, which passed the House 289-137, will be taken up in the Senate.

Betsy Fisher, deputy policy director at IRAP, said that the U.S. is sending a terrible signal to overseas allies and foreign nationals who would otherwise help American troops in the future.

"It's yet another sign that the U.S. is not willing to live up to the commitment it made to those folks," said Fisher, whose organization has worked extensively with Iraqi refugees in particular.

She pointed out that the legislation comes amid growing calls (mainly by Republicans) for the U.S. to send ground troops to Syria and Iraq to take on the Islamic State more directly. Without assurances that America will offer them a refuge if they need it, local residents are less likely to work with U.S. forces, Fisher said.

"I don't think any rational person would help us," she said.