The US government has appointed two senior officials to oversee the processing of Iraqi refugees into the United States, according to DPA. The naming of the two officials is aimed at speeding up the process of handling the cases of some of the 2 million Iraqi refugees who have fled their native country. The United Nations has referred about 10,000 cases of would-be Iraqi refugees to US authorities, and about 7,500 of those have been prepared for interviews by US homeland security officials, the US State Department said. James Foley, a career diplomatic, will become the coordinator of the issue at the State Department, while Lori Scialabba, a long-time immigration official, will hold a similar post in the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the Iraqi refugees have gone to Jordan or Syria but could soon face more restrictions on their ability to enter the two neighbouring countries. A group of US senators consisting of Democrats and Republicans have proposed easing entry requirements for Iraqi refugees, including providing 5,000 special immigrant visas for Iraqis who fear for their lives after working for the United States. A special programme would offer 5,000 US immigrant visas over five years to Iraqis who worked for the US for at least a year after Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled in 2003.
