The crisis going on in the Middle East has been one that has warranted and captured the attention of those all across the world. The refugees fleeing their homelands seek peace elsewhere, not knowing where to go to escape the upheaval that their lives’ have been subjected too. Last year alone, there were over a half a million people who fled their homes and 14,000 of those who ended up calling the U.S. their home. Different points of views of those in authority over a subject like this can easily become as personal as it is factual.

  Mr. and Mrs. Hameed, who came to the United States 9 years ago in the hopes of providing a better place to raise their family, were interviewed. They have gone through the immigration system and were immigrants themselves, coming from Iraq almost 9 in and a half years ago. They left freely, albeit in different circumstances than those fleeing their homes in the crisis now. They made their migration because they wanted a better life for themselves before it was too late to leave.

 When asked about the subject of immigration, they said the following: “We feel that immigration helped us procure a life for us and you that we had always wanted, one filled with peace and hope. It is something we look positively on, no matter how hard the path was to getting here.” The Hameeds also understand why many people are against it, because it at times brought more harm than good, but nonetheless no one who wants the safety should be denied that when they have nowhere else to turn. The last question and one of the toughest questions that they were asked, was what would they do if they were put in the shoes of an immigrant and what they thought about Europe closing its doors to refugees. Mr. Hameed answered simply: “I would fight to keep going if my life depended on it, especially if you and your sisters were there. Nothing would keep me from giving you all a better life.”  Mrs. Hameed went on to reply the second part of the question remarking: “ I think that personally, as someone who came into this country as an immigrant, I feel disappointed that Europe closed its doors to so many people in need.  Looking at from the standpoints of others, I get that it may help decrease the terrorist attacks because that would mean less people flowing in, but I can not agree with it.”

  A spokesperson from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service also stated their opinions on this matter, because this subject warrants the viewpoint of the authority, in which the country stands with. While they could not personally comment on their opinion, they told that from 1980 to 2014, in those 32 years, there have been at least 25,000 refugee arrivals each year. In 2014 in fact, about 70,000 refugees arrived to the U.S., from all walks of life, ages, and ethnicity. It is safe to say that the United States is still opening its arms to refugees who would like to call this country their home, and will continue to do so in the years ahead even throughout this crisis.

If you would like for information about the Immigration Crisis, go to:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911

http://www.ecfr.eu/scorecard/2015/issues/57

http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/08/middleeast/syria-war-how-we-got-here/

https://www.dhs.gov/yearbook-immigration-statistics-2014-refugees-and-asylees