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Starting today, Iraqi native Nazar Al Taei and his family will have warm beds to sleep in, a refrigerator stocked with food and a place to call home-a far cry from their refugee camp in Jordan.They are the first Iraqi refugees to arrive in Colorado as the U.S. government speeds up the process of admitting them into the country.Al Taei arrived at Denver International Airport shortly before midnight last night, along with his wife and three children.Fredi Mevlani, executive director of Ecumenical Refugee and Immigration Services of Denver, greeted the exhausted family and led them toward the baggage claim as they got out of the elevator in the main terminal at 12:28 a.m. today.Kidane Ghebretensai, their case worker with the ecumenical service, hurried to catch up with the family and introduced himself in Arabic while shaking hands with the 37-year-old father and his older son, Mustafa, 7.It wasn't until he arrived at the baggage claim carousel that Nazar Al Taei spoke briefly, exhausted after the family's journey from Jordan to Frankfurt to Newark to Denver."I'm flying 30 hours, and I need 30 hours of sleep before I can talk," he said. "I'm very tired."His 10-year-old daughter, Tara, went over to the ski carousel, sat down in one of the racks, and placed her head in her hands. Her mother, Hadeel, 39, stood next to Tara, facing the ski carousel. Only 1-year-old Hasen was oblivious to what was going on-he was sleeping soundly in a blue stroller.Mustafa stayed close as his father was introduced to Chuck Willis, of First Plymouth Congregational Church, which is sponsoring the family."We're very glad that you're here," Willis told Nazar Al Taei.There was some discussion between Ghebretensai and Nazar Al Taei in Arabic before they spoke to Mevlani about their luggage."They have eight pieces," Ghebretensai told Mevlani. Nazar Al Taei went over to his wife by the ski carousel to get the baggage claim tickets and gave them to Mevlani.At that point, Mevlani took an IOM (Immigration Organization and Migration) sticker that Nazar Al Taei had been wearing on his right chest. Patting him, he said, "You don't need that anymore."Soon, the family headed for the parking lot and ultimately a new life.Mevlani said his organization will help the family settle in their new home, help them get Social Security numbers and driver's licenses, and enroll in public schools."We're excited to have them," Mevlani said. "We hope that the community will welcome them, considering what they went through."They will be housed in an Aurora apartment and will be given financial assistance for up to eight months, he said."The family speaks English, Russian and Arabic. They have much to offer our community, but it's going to be tough for a while," said Mevlani.Mevlani said he had not received any calls from other community members wanting to help the Al Taeis and other refugees, but expected that to change once people become aware of their presence."We hope to get the community to understand why they are here, and why it is important for us to open our community up to refugees, whether they're from Iraq or Bosnia or anywhere else where there are problems," he said.Mevlani's group is one of four local service organizations that will be working with the State Department to help bring up to 50 Iraqis to Colorado in the next year.Typically, Colorado receives about 3 percent of refugees resettled nationally, an average of 210 a year, according to Paul Stein, refugee coordinator for the state Department of Human Services."This has steadily increased over the years because of Colorado's resources. This is also due to the quality of services we provide."Nationwide, 529 Iraqi refugees were admitted to the United States in August, more than in the previous 11 months combined, bringing to 730 the number admitted so far this year.Officials said the sharp increase is proof that efforts to step up the processing of refugees from Iraq for resettlement in the United States are working."We've definitely ramped up recently, and we're hoping to build capacity as the process moves forward," said State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper.Advocacy groups estimate that 2.5 million to 3 million Iraqi refugees have fled to neighboring countries.Those seeking to come to the U.S. must have clearance by the Department of Homeland Security before they are allowed entry.The White House announced this year that it would accept 7,000 Iraqi refugees referred by the U.N. for resettlement by the end of September.That number later changed to 2,000."The U.S. recognizes the plight of Iraqis," said Cooper."As part of that recognition, we have given $183 million for the care of Iraqi refugees this year alone.But first and foremost is the establishment of a safe and secure Iraq so that families can return to their homes and communities."Coming to America
*50 Iraqi refugees are anticipated in Colorado
*210 is the average number of refugees that come to Colorado each year
*730 Iraqi refugees were accepted by the U.S. this year, through Aug. 31
*1,359 Iraqi refugees were accepted by the U.S. since the start of the Iraq War in March 2003
As in the days of Noah....
