Find Legal Topics > Immigration Laws > What Caused the Surge in Iraqi Refugees?

What Caused the Surge in Iraqi Refugees?

What Caused the Surge in Iraqi Refugees? Politically, before the United States invaded Iraq in 2001, Iraq was ruled by the Baath party led by Saddam Hussein, who was forced out of power by the United States. While Hussein was in power, a person might have had no choice but to become a political refugee, fearing for their lives in the face of the brutality that may have been brought upon them.

In 2008, despite the fact that Saddam was no longer in power and the number of persons who were forced to become a political refuge, uprooting and endangering their spouses and refugee children, was all but gone, Iraq has still considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world due to the fact that the people of Iraq still faced violent opposition from those who were still in favor of the previous political system, even though 63% of eligible voters voted in the first ever political election that was considered democratic. America still has troops stationed in Iraq as a way of calming the violence that still takes place on a regular basis.

One ethnic group that makes up roughly 17& of Iraq's population is known as the Kurds. The Kurds have often been known to have many persons claiming to be political refugees. Children also are commonly refugees with their families. Due to tensions between neighboring areas, the Kurds have found themselves to be targets for many political attacks; therefore, a Kurd is often forced to become a political refugee.

Although Iraq has more political freedom now, there are still a very large number of displaced Iraqis: a political refugee from Iraq may reside in any nearby country. An Iraq political refugee may be scared to return to Iraq due to the unstable conditions caused by war and the complete political change. They also may be afraid to return their families who left with them including wives and refugee children.

Currently, the United Nations is working with the Iraq government in order to create safer conditions for any political refugee to return to Iraq. However, many feel that the government has failed to be realistic about the current political, economic, and social conditions in Iraq. The number of political refugees in Iraq has always increased with each war that has taken place there.

Related Topics