Refugee Relief Program, 166
refugee resettlement
admissions cap for, 185, 190–93, 224, 228, 249, 251–52, 259
admissions cap lowered for, 230–32, 275, 278–83
after WWII, 14–21, 96, 100, 163–64
agencies for, 80, 185, 190–93, 232–33, 250–52, 276, 280–83, 299–300
applying for, 141–42, 172, 176
current policies for, 301
decline in, 277–78, 283
economic stability and, 224
lack of support for, 252–53, 258, 272–75, 278–80
policies for, 14–16, 19–21, 100, 163–66, 185–86, 232, 273
process of, 179–80, 193, 205–7, 225, 231, 249–52, 273, 283
suspended after 9/11, 229–32, 234, 275
suspended by Trump, 275, 302
in US, 185–93, 231, 249–52, 259, 273–76, 278
US public’s support for, 187, 189, 193, 226, 234
See also specific cities, countries
Refugee Services of Texas (RST), 251
caseworkers of, 168–73, 241, 262, 291, 300
assists Hasna al-Salam, 241, 262–64, 291
assists Mu Naw, 58–59, 62–64, 168–69
under Trump administration, 282
Refugee Support Centers (RSC), 250
refugees
airlifted by US, 186, 188
ballooning crises of, 232–33, 252–53
definition expands for, 184–86, 191–92, 226–27, 252
definition of, 20, 96, 100, 163, 258, 301
denied resettlement, 250, 259, 283
extreme vetting of, 273–76, 279
financial assistance for, 187, 240, 251, 263, 280
fleeing persecution, 185–86, 191–93, 225–26, 228, 258
growing number of, 228, 258, 277–78
hire smugglers, 62, 208–11, 258
laws protecting rights of, 19–20
mental health counseling for, 280
and “non-refoulement,” 20, 191, 231, 279
persecution of, 61, 142, 191, 299, 303
protracted situations of, 232–34
racialized trope and, 272–73
restricted entry of, 275–78, 302
return to homelands, 163
services offered to, 206, 280
tell their stories, 299–308
unique position of, 14–15, 185, 279, 283
US duty to, 224–28, 241, 254
vetted by US, 166, 180, 191–92, 230, 232, 249–52, 258
as victims of war, 14–16, 19, 192, 225, 228
white Europeans as, 163–65
See also anti-immigrant sentiments
religion, 43, 227, 275, 285, 297
family devotionals, 270–71
Friday prayers, 47–50, 55
Karen people and, 61–62, 270–71
and persecution of refugees, 191
Syrians and, 27–29
See also Karen Baptist church; Omari mosque; churches, specific denominations
religious freedom, 20, 191, 234
Republicans, 165–66, 226
restrictionists/restrictionism
Bush administration and, 233–34
on family reunification, 187
rise in, 97–98, 100, 166, 272, 277
slows refugee admissions, 279–83
and “take our jobs” rhetoric, 98, 189
Trump administration and, 278–80
vetting refugees and, 166, 192
want quotas/limited admissions, 94–95
Rice, Condoleezza, 234
Roberts, John, 277
Rohingya refugees, 2, 234, 303
Roosevelt, Franklin, 16
Rumsfeld, Donald, 230
Russia/Russians, 178, 187, 191, 203, 255, 278
Rwanda/Rwandans, 225, 227–28
al-Salam, Hasna
cares for injured husband, 181–83, 199, 202
and children in Jordan, 133–34, 136–37
clan life of, 23–25, 29, 31–33, 78, 292
confronted by soldiers, 125–28
Daraa home destroyed, 181–82, 201
Daraa home of, 22–24, 31, 36–37, 47–48, 73–74, 125, 138, 236–37, 305
and Daraa protests, 49–51
and daughter’s escape, 208–12
and daughter’s protest, 106–9, 111–12, 132
deep grief of, 72–73, 151, 162, 176, 202, 205, 214
faces hostility, 289, 294
family denied resettlement in US, 287–89
first revolutionary thoughts of, 27–28, 35–36
flees to Jordan, 137–38, 153
and friend’s wedding, 292–94
friendship with soldier, 103–5, 108–10, 135–36
on girls’ education, 27–29, 31, 112, 155–57
gold savings of, 91–92, 126, 128, 138, 154, 178, 182, 199, 236, 265
hopes for intervention, 178, 256
husband/sons taken away, 77–78, 87–89, 101
and imprisoned sons, 124–25, 133–34, 288
interviews for resettlement, 200–201, 205–7
jobs in Austin, 260–67, 288–92
Jordan home of, 236–38, 265, 305
“Lebweh” nickname of, 111–12, 132, 207
on looting of home, 175–76, 178
and Malek/Laila’s return to Daraa, 158–61
marriage/family of, 23–37, 47–49, 78, 150
moves to Irbed, 177–81
offered resettlement, 176, 179–80
and Omari mosque attack, 73–78, 132
politically unengaged, 25–26, 35, 130–31, 155
registers as refugee, 153–57, 200
religious life of, 27–28, 43, 47–49
resettles in Austin, 213–14, 235–42, 260–67, 305
returns to Daraa, 149
school explosion and, 131–33
settles in Jordan, 149–53, 175–76
and siege of Daraa, 89–93, 101–12, 125, 129–30, 133, 135, 176
sons released from prison, 105–6, 110–12
stays connected to children, 306–7
struggles to pay bills, 263, 265, 284, 291
Syrian neighbors of, 239–42
tells her story, 301–8
trauma of, 76, 125, 304–7
visits Lake Muzayrib, 71–73
al-Salam, Malek, 156, 177, 306
on blacklist, 201–2
brings family to Jordan, 149–50, 152, 157–59
in Daraa, 48–49, 181–83, 199
death of, 204, 208, 307
forced back to Daraa, 158–61, 175
imprisonment of, 105–6, 124
in Jordan, 124, 128, 136
marriage of, 29–34, 292
release of, 109–11, 125, 131
survives missile strikes, 202–3
taken by soldiers, 87–88, 101
Samir (Amal’s husband), 156, 182, 238
construction jobs of, 154, 199
family/home life of, 29–31, 111
flees to Jordan, 129–30, 136
interviews for resettlement, 200
moves to Irbed, 177–78
resettles in Canada, 289–90
seeks resettlement in US, 263–64, 287
and unrest in Daraa, 49, 87–88
San Bernardino shooters, 274
Saudi Arabia, 51, 203, 274
Saw Doh (Mu Naw’s son), 144–46, 167, 194–98, 218, 299
Saw Ku (Mu Naw’s husband)
arrives in Austin, 7–9, 11–13
caseworker of, 57–58, 60, 80, 82–84
and death of Mu Naw’
s mother, 244–45, 248
first days in Austin, 38–41, 43–46, 57–60, 62–64
grateful for new US home, 295–97
jobs of, 82–83, 115, 195–96, 271
in Mae La refugee camp, 10–11, 40–43, 59, 121, 141–42
marriage of, 140–41, 243, 247
marriage troubles and, 194–98, 217–19, 222
relationship with Mu Naw, 42–43, 61–62, 119–22, 268–71
and son’s birth, 142–46, 173
struggles to pay bills, 80–85
takes English classes, 79–80, 82
thrives in Austin, 167–68, 171, 174
and wife’s pregnancy, 84–85, 113, 140
security databases, 249–50, 274
security, international, 249, 258–59
Sednaya Prison, 76–77, 256
September 11, 2001, 224, 228–32, 234, 253, 258, 272, 274
Shan people/state, 61–62
al-Shari, Thamer Muhammad, 129
Smith, Ellison DuRant, 97
Smith, Russell, 282
“Snake, The” (Brown), 274–75
social media
Free Syria Army video on, 135–36
provides news source, 158, 178, 254, 267
spreads fear, 272–73
Syrian war on, 129, 200, 202, 204, 254, 257, 305–7
used for vetting refugees, 250
See also Facebook; Reddit; WhatsApp; YouTube
Soe Paw, 243–44
Somalia, 79, 85, 114, 169, 233–34, 257, 275–76
South America, 98, 231
South Vietnam, 188
Southeast Asia, 61, 188, 234
Soviet Union, 25, 164–66, 187, 189, 226
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, 231
St. Louis, 16–17, 20, 98–99, 186
starvation, 192, 256
Statue of Liberty, 96
Sudanese, 225, 233, 275–76, 279
Sunni Muslims, 35, 52
Switzerland, 165
Syria
Alawites in, 25, 35, 52
banks not trusted in, 91–92
current conditions in, 306–7
disappeared people in, 25–26, 76, 303
diverse people of, 253, 285
education in, 24, 27–29, 31, 34–36
ethnic minorities of, 25, 52
gains independence, 25
“Great Friday Protests” in, 128–29
lack of free press in, 102, 129, 254, 305
Muslims slaughtered in, 26–27, 52, 71, 154
police in, 48, 54–55
political engagement in, 25–28, 35
residents flee from, 124–25, 178–79, 241, 256
sanctions against, 27
secret police in, 50, 54–55, 129
US inaction concerning, 252–59
war in, 133, 135–37, 149–50, 159, 178, 241, 285, 305
war worsens in, 200, 202–3, 253–57
women in, 24, 27–34, 112
See also al-Assad, Bashar; Daraa, Syria; Hama, Syria; al-Salam, Hasna
Syrian army, 154
attacks innocent people, 135–36
mandatory service in, 36
school explosion and, 131–33
and siege of Daraa, 76–78, 102–9, 112, 124–29
soldiers defect from, 135–37
See also Free Syria Army; Khassem (Hasna’s son): in
Syrian army
Syrian government, 102, 303
attacks own citizens, 182, 200, 202–3, 252–56, 305
attacks rebels, 254
bloody assaults in Hama, 26–27, 52, 71, 154
Syrians fearful of, 256
uses chemical weapons, 253–57
Syrian refugees
enhanced vetting of, 250, 258, 274
flee to Europe, 256–58
flee to Jordan, 203–4, 256, 264–65, 278
growing number of, 252–53, 256, 278
lack of support for, 213, 253, 272–75
registering as, 154–55
resettle in US, 180, 205–6, 213–14, 235–42, 257–59, 264, 272, 278
in Turkey, 264, 278, 306
turned away by Trump/US, 275–76, 287–89, 306
unwelcome, 256, 258, 264, 274, 285, 294
Tatmadaw, 1–2, 68–70, 86, 142
Tawfiq (Laila’s son), 202–3, 208–12, 214, 284
Temporary Protected Status (TPS), 279, 282
terrorism, victims of, 258, 273. See also antiterrorism
terrorists
and Sept. 11, 2001, 228–30, 253, 258–59
synonymous with refugee, 273–74, 301
in Syria, 102, 254, 274, 285
and Trump travel ban, 275–76
Thailand, 81, 197, 234, 296, 304
ethnic minorities in, 61–62, 299
Hmong refugees in, 188
Karen communities in, 270
See also Mae La refugee camp; Nu Po refugee camp; Tatmadaw
Tillerson, Rex, 283
trafficking, 207, 258, 282
Transportation Security Administration, 251
trauma, of refugees, 192–93, 205, 256, 280, 301, 304–7
travel ban, 275–78, 302, 306
Truman, Harry S., 14–16, 18–19, 226, 281
Trump, Donald
and the election, 258–59, 267, 273–74
immigration policies of, 273–83
refugee admissions caps of, 278, 281–83
travel ban of, 275–78, 302
views on Muslims, 267, 274–77
Trump v. Hawaii, 276–77
Tunisia, 36, 51–52
Turkey, 27,
Syrian refugees in, 206, 208, 212, 256, 278, 284, 287, 306
Syrians not welcome in, 264, 290
Twitter, 254
Uganda, 219, 221–22
Um Ahmad, 23–24, 35, 89–93, 111, 130, 176
Um Ibtihal, 75–78, 106, 108, 130, 176
Um Khalid, 239, 286–87, 291–92
UN Refugee Convention, 191
undocumented immigrants, 258, 279
unemployment, 51, 95, 306
United Arab Emirates, 24, 274
United Kingdom, 52, 272. See also England
United Nations, 7–8, 177, 227
destroys chemical weapons, 256–57
founding of, 19, 94
landmark declarations of, 19–20
Myanmar refugees and, 10–11, 62, 69, 141–42
peacekeeping forces of, 69, 125
and refugee camps, 232–33
Syrian refugees and, 257
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 228
countries partnering with, 277
expands definition of “refugee,” 186, 191, 252
interviews refugees, 141, 179–80, 201, 205–6, 232, 249–50, 258
Myanmar refugees and, 141–42
and refugee camps, 232–33
and refugee vetting process, 249–51
Syrian refugees and, 176, 179–80, 200–201, 205–6, 278
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, 18
United Nations Security Council, 234
United States
aids Hungarian refugees, 164–65
“better-safe-than-sorryism” of, 98–100, 229, 231, 234, 273
census of 1890, 98
“closed-door” refugee policy of, 273
cultural dominance of, 164, 187
European immigrants in, 184–86, 189
European refugees resettle in, 14, 20–21, 163–66
immigration courts of, 281
large nu
mbers migrate to, 94–97, 187–90
and nonwhite immigrants, 97–98, 163–64, 185–87
protection-based immigration and, 282
protests in, 276, 288
and protracted refugee situations, 232–34
refuses Jewish refugees, 15–16, 20, 98–99, 259
sends rations to Afghanistan, 230
and Syrian crisis, 125, 154, 178, 252–59
as world leader, 17, 21, 100
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 19–20
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 191, 229–30, 250, 283
US Congress, 14, 166, 190, 230, 255
US Department of Defense, 192, 250
US Department of Health and Human Services, 191
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 230, 250, 279
US State Department, 192, 213, 250–51, 279–80, 283
US Supreme Court, 276–77
Vietnam, 95, 222
displaced persons of, 163–64,
refugees from, 187–89, 221–22, 226, 234, 259
Vietnam War, 10, 188–89, 225, 259
visas, 163, 276, 305
and 9/11 terrorists, 273–74
“special immigrant,” 231, 282
US foreign interests and, 185–86
US regulations for, 190, 192
US’s allotment of, 190, 228–29, 251
during WWII, 14, 16
Vogue, 53
Voting Rights Act, 184
Vox, 302
Washington Post, 259
Wayne, John, 17
WhatsApp, 158, 204, 208, 212, 254, 263, 267, 305, 307
World Refugee Day, 174
World War I, 192, 253
World War II, 252, 257
and Jewish refugees, 98–100
leaves displaced people, 14–21, 100, 163, 228
and postwar American identity, 17–18, 21, 94
refugee camps and, 232
and refugee resettlement, 14–21, 96, 99, 100, 165
US involvement in, 99
Yemen, 51–52, 225, 275–76
al-Youssef, Abdel Hameed, 257
YouTube, 129, 200, 254, 305–6
Yugoslavia, 164, 225
Yusef (Hasna’s son), 23, 47–48, 238, 294
and brother-in-law detained, 158–60
childhood of, 25–28
confronted by soldiers, 125–28
construction jobs of, 154, 156, 199
and Daraa protests, 49–51
flees to Jordan, 128–30, 135–36
imprisonment of, 105–6, 124, 126–27
interviews for resettlement, 200–201
moves to Irbed, 177–78
and Omari mosque attack, 73
release of, 109–12, 125, 131
resettles in Greece, 290, 305–6
seeks resettlement in US, 263–64, 287
taken by soldiers, 77–78, 88, 101
After the Last Border Page 41