hate crimes, 229
Hawaii, 276–77
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), 187, 251
Helsinki Accords, 189
Hezbollah, 102–3, 125
hijab, 22, 28, 33, 74–75, 106–7, 205, 213, 260–61, 285
Hitler, Adolf, 98. See also Nazis
Hmong people, 10, 61, 187–88
Holocaust, 14, 19, 21, 98–100, 186, 188, 227, 275
Homeland Security Act, 231
al-Homsi, Fahad, 103–5, 108–10, 112, 125–26, 130, 135–36
Honduras, 95, 279
Horan region, Syria, 23–24, 54, 129, 293
human rights, 19–20, 187, 189–90, 192, 227
Human Rights Watch, 189
humanitarian crises
in Afghanistan, 230–32, 257
Indochinese boat people and, 187
in Myanmar/Thailand, 234
in Persian Gulf region, 227, 231–33
Refugee Act of 1980 and, 190
and refugee resettlement, 232, 234, 283
in Syria, 252–54, 257–58
US’s duty towards, 224–25, 227–28
humanitarian efforts
under Bush, 224, 227
under Obama, 224, 254, 257, 272–73
for Syrians, 129, 254, 257, 272–73
US and, 185–86, 189–93, 224, 231, 279, 282
and WWII refugees, 15, 18, 99–100, 227
Hungary/Hungarians, 164–65, 187–88
Hyatt Hotel (Austin, TX), 265–67, 290–91
Immigration Act of 1917, 97
Immigration Act of 1924, 97–98, 163, 166, 186, 273
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 184–87
immigration debate
American identity and, 94, 96, 100, 166, 189, 193, 225–26
economics and, 95–96, 98–99, 192
liberalizers and, 94–97, 165–66, 185, 187, 192, 283
and liberalizers vs. restrictionists, 94–98, 165–66
racism and, 94–98
and resettling refugees, 192, 258, 272
See also restrictionists/restrictionism
immigration lawyers, 264
immigration system
executive order and, 277, 287–89, 302
extreme policies for, 275–78
and merit-based acceptance, 185
overhaul of, 184–85
policies for, 14–16, 94–95, 184–87, 224, 227–28
quotas for, 14, 94, 165–66, 184, 230
and racism, 94–98, 185
Trump’s policies for, 278–80
See also family reunification
India, 2, 62, 163, 219
Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act, 188–89
Indochinese boat people, 187–89, 226
internally displaced persons (IDPs), 62, 252, 256
International Organization for Migration (IOM), 7–8, 11, 44, 239–40, 251
International Refugee Assistance Project, 276
International Rescue Committee (IRC) (Kansas), 280–82
internment camps, 99
Iowa, 273–74
Iran, 27, 102–3, 178, 203, 275–76, 278
Iraqis, 52, 225, 257
banned from US, 275–76
as refugees in US, 85, 169, 231, 233, 241, 261, 266
and US interference, 125
US war against, 178, 231–33, 253
Irbed, Jordan, 155, 157, 177–79, 199–200, 204–5
Irish, 95–96, 184
ISIS, 203, 208–10, 256–57, 272, 274
Islam, 28
Islamic State, 253
Islamophobia, 229–30, 258–59, 275
isolationism, 94, 189
Israel, 25–27, 125, 154, 163, 187
Italians, 95, 98–99
Jane (Austin church volunteer), 139–40, 142–46, 302
Japanese immigrants, 97, 99, 229
Jaw Jaw, 80, 83, 173, 243–44
Jebreel (Hasna’s husband), 294, 304
black market IDs and, 134
business of, 23, 34–35, 103, 125
confronted by soldiers, 125–28
and Daraa protests, 49–51
disability checks for, 262–63, 284
executive order and, 286–87
family denied resettlement in US, 286–89
family/home life of, 23–26, 29–32, 36–37, 47–48
and imprisoned sons, 105–6, 110, 124
interviews for resettlement, 200–201, 205–7
and Omari mosque attack, 73, 75
opposes registering as refugee, 155–57
protects family home, 130, 137–38, 152, 175, 180
resettles in Austin, 213–14, 237–42, 260, 262–67
school explosion and, 132–33
and siege of Daraa, 91–93
supported by Hasna, 292
taken by soldiers, 77–78, 87–88, 101
trauma/grief of, 205, 306
visits family in Jordan, 149, 155–57
wounded by missile, 181–83, 199, 201–2, 212, 262
Jewish refugees, 14–19, 98–100, 163, 187, 259
Johnson, Lyndon B., 184–85
Jordan, 24, 51, 241
cracks down on refugees, 149, 158, 202
funds refugees’ education, 153
king of, 159–60
offers refugees medical help, 182–83
refugees flee to, 178–79, 199, 203–4, 256, 264–65, 278
refugees register in, 153–57
Syrians not welcome in, 151, 201
US military base in, 205–7, 213
See also Ramtha, Jordan; refugee camps: in Jordan
journalists, 53, 101–2, 129, 257, 273, 305
Karen Baptist church (Austin, TX), 195, 234, 269–70, 296–97
Karen people, 2, 173, 253, 303
as ethnic minority, 2, 61, 142, 299
and family devotionals, 270–71
language of, 8, 57, 114, 169, 270
marriage customs of, 245–47
in refugee camp, 61–62, 65–66
resettle in US, 10–11, 62, 64, 79, 82, 113–14, 169, 172–74
return to Myanmar, 69–70, 116–17
See also Mu Naw; Saw Ku
Karenni people, 2, 61, 114, 169, 173, 234
Kennedy, John F., 184, 189
Kenya, 233
Khan Sheikhoun, Syria, 256–57
Khassem (Hasna’s son), 30, 47, 89, 158, 238
childhood of, 25–28
construction jobs of, 154, 156, 199
in Daraa, 49–51, 56, 181–82
education of, 35–36
imprisonment of, 76–77, 124–25, 127–29, 131, 133–34
in Jordan, 134–36, 212–13
marriage/family of, 199–200, 263
moves to Irbed, 177–78
seeks resettlement in US, 263–64, 287
in Syrian army, 23, 36, 71–73, 103, 112, 128, 134
visits Lake Muzayrib, 71–73
al-Khatib, Hamza, 129
Khmer Rouge, 188
Kosovo, 227
Kurds, 225, 285
Laila (Hasna’s daughter), 36, 156, 238, 294
on blacklist, 201–2
childhood of, 28–29
and Daraa home, 49, 152–53, 181–83, 199
flees to Jordan, 124, 128–29, 136–37, 149–50, 157
flees to Turkey, 206, 208–12, 214, 264, 284–85, 306
forced back to Daraa, 158–61, 175–77
husband’s imprisonment and, 87–89
leads protest, 106–9, 111–12, 132
marriage of, 29�
�34, 292–93
resettles in Greece, 290, 305–6
seeks resettlement in US, 263–64, 287
and siege of Daraa, 91–93, 104–12
survives missile strikes, 202–3, 211
Lake Muzayrib, Syria, 71–73
Laos/Laotians, 10, 187–89
Lazarus, Emma, 96, 185
Leaders’ Summit on Refugees, 258
Lebanon, 27, 51–52, 256, 274, 278
LGBTQ people, 191
Libya, 51, 275–76
Life magazine, 165
Lindbergh, Charles, 99, 273, 275
literacy test, 97
Longa, Amy, 280–81
Mae La refugee camp, 59, 168
Burmese refugees in, 234
clinic in, 143
daily life in, 13, 38, 40–41, 121, 245, 248
description of, 10, 60–62
Karen people in, 61–62, 142, 299
Myanmar refugees in, 7–11, 40–45, 80, 114, 117–19, 140–41, 172, 217, 244
See also Mu Naw; Saw Ku
Mafraq, Jordan, 154, 156, 158, 177
Malaysia, 2, 62, 188
Malik, Tashfeen, 274
al-Maliki, Nouri, 233
Maria (Amal’s daughter), 136, 160, 177, 214
marriage customs
of Myanmar/Thailand, 140–41, 245–47
of Syria, 24, 29, 31–34, 238, 292–94
Marshall Plan, 19, 94, 163
Massacre on Saida Bridge, 129
McCarran-Walter Act (1952), 166
McCarthyism, 166, 229, 279
McCaul, Michael, 258
McGuire Air Force Base (New Jersey), 165
media, 102, 129, 163, 254, 305
Medicaid, 84, 139–40, 145, 240, 262
Meh Bu, 114, 120–22
Mexico/Mexicans, 95, 231
Middle East, 98, 176, 234, 253, 255
Miller, Stephen, 275–76, 279
missionaries, 61–62, 65–66, 140
movies, 17, 20, 99
Mu Naw
anger of, 41, 118, 173–74, 196–97, 247–48
arrives in Austin, 7–9, 11–13, 44, 172
becomes homeowner, 268–69, 271
caseworker of, 57–58, 60, 80, 82–84
childhood of, 1–3, 62, 65–70, 114, 116–17, 197, 245
deep grief of, 64–65, 70, 82, 86, 113, 121, 172, 269
education of, 44, 66
English classes and, 79–80, 82–83, 113–14, 120, 122, 140, 142
fair-trade jewelry job of, 218–23, 300
finds power in US, 222–23
first days in Austin, 38–41, 43–46, 57–60, 62–65, 70
flees from Myanmar, 1–3, 65
grateful for new US home, 295–97
as Karen, 174, 299
language skills of, 299–300
leads women’s cooperative, 167–68, 173, 218, 300
in Mae La refugee camp, 7–11, 38, 40–45, 60–62, 114, 121, 168
marriage ceremony in Mae La, 140–41
marriage of, 173, 243, 247–48
marriage troubles and, 194–98, 217–19, 222
mother’s death and, 243–45, 247–48, 269
in Nu Po refugee camp, 65–69, 142, 245, 247
parent’s marriage and, 245–47
pregnancy of, 84–86, 113–16, 121–22, 139–40, 299
relationship with husband, 42–43, 119–22, 268–71
religious life of, 43, 61–62, 85, 270–71, 297
returns to Myanmar, 69–70, 116–17
reunited with mother in Mae La, 117–19, 245, 248
and son’s birth, 142–46, 167, 173
struggles to pay bills, 80–85
struggles with apt. manager, 115–16, 119–23
tells her story, 221–23, 299–304
thrives in Austin, 167–68, 171, 173–74
trauma of, 217, 247–48, 301, 304
works as translator, 169–70, 172–74, 196, 218, 271, 300
Mubarak, Hosni, 52
mukhabarat, 50, 54–55, 129
Muslim Brotherhood, 26–28, 52, 154, 285
Muslim-majority countries, 275–78, 302
Muslims, 291
face opposition, 229–32, 253, 259, 273
in Myanmar, 234
in Syria, 35, 253, 274, 285
Trump’s views on, 267, 274–277
women, 213, 260, 285
See also travel ban
Myanmar, 270, 300, 304
armed forces of, 1–2, 68–70, 86, 142
civil war in, 10, 61–62, 70, 116–18, 141, 225
ethnic minorities of, 2, 57, 61–62, 142, 234, 299
weaving traditions of, 167–68, 173
women raped in, 116, 246, 248
Myanmar refugees
flee country, 1–3, 61–62, 65–66
persecution of, 299, 303
resettle in US, 10–11, 80, 114, 167–69, 173, 234, 278
return to homeland, 69–70, 116–17
US’s support of, 253
See also Mu Naw; Saw Ku
Nassib, Syria, 203
Natheir Ali, 241–42, 260–61, 263, 265, 284, 287
National Counterterrorism Center, 250
National Security Council, 279
national security, 15, 254
and conflict in Europe, 97–99
Obama on, 254, 258–59
refugee resettlement and, 224
restrictionists and, 97–98, 166, 192,
after Sept. 11, 2001, 231–32
Native Americans, 61
nativism, 189
NATO troops, 227
Naw Wah (Mu Naw’s daughter), 64
arrives in Austin, 7, 13, 39–41
childhood of, 119–23, 145, 197, 295
education of, 113, 168
and family devotionals, 270–71
in refugee camp, 141
Nazis, 14, 16–18, 98–100, 163
Nepal, 62, 225, 279
New York, 184, 231, 276
New York Times, 16, 20
New Yorker, The, 279
news outlets, 99, 254, 267, 274, 276
newsreels, 17–18, 100, 164–65, 254, 273
NGOs, 43, 190
Nguyen, Viet Thanh, 303
Nigeria/Nigerians, 187
Nixon, Richard, 165, 189
Noor (Amal’s daughter), 34, 49, 129–30, 160, 177, 214
North Korea, 277
North Vietnam, 163, 188
Norway, 201
Nu Po refugee camp, 65–69, 142, 245, 247
Nuremberg trials, 19, 94
Obama, Barack, 224, 251, 281–82
global refugee crisis and, 252
and Karen Christian refugees, 253
refugee admissions cap of, 228, 249, 259, 275
on Syrian crisis, 253–56, 258, 272
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 191, 230, 251
oil supplies, 226
Omari mosque (Daraa, Syria),
attack on, 74–77, 102–3, 128
Friday prayers at, 36, 48, 50, 55
and the protesters, 50–51, 55–56, 73, 128
Operation Enduring Freedom, 230–31
Operation Safe Haven, 165
Pah Poe (Mu Naw’s daughter)
arrives in Austin, 7, 13, 39–41, 44–46
childhood of, 113, 119–22, 145, 197, 217
education of, 168
and family devotionals, 270–71
in refugee camp, 140–41, 143
Pakistan, 163, 274
Palestine/Palestinians, 51, 149, 163
Paris, F
rance, 257, 272, 274
Passing of the Great Race, The, 97
Patriot Act, 230–31
Peace Corps, 189
Pence, Mike, 258, 275
Persian Gulf, 227
Philippines, 97
Pol Pot, 188–89
Politico, 275
Pompeo, Mike, 281–83
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 192, 256
poverty, 51, 192
PR campaigns, 53, 163–65, 224
Presidential Determination, 251
under Bush, George W., 228–30
under Carter, 190–91
under Obama, 228, 249, 259, 275
under Reagan, 228
under Trump, 275, 278, 281, 283
presidential election (2016), 267, 273–74
al-Qaeda, 203, 230, 274
Quran, 28–29, 48, 102
race
and antiterrorism, 253
Nazis and, 99
refugee quotas and, 163
and refugees, 20, 191, 227, 272
racism
immigration policies and, 94–98, 185, 273
restrictionists and, 95–97
See also genocide
Ramtha, Jordan
and Daraa residents, 133, 135, 149, 175
Hasna al-Salam’s home in, 136, 177, 237, 305
Syrian refugees in, 124–25, 130, 133, 149, 156–57, 161–62
women in, 151, 285
Rana (Hasna’s daughter), 72, 178, 292, 306
childhood of, 28, 32–33, 37, 47, 49, 53
cooks for family, 266–67
education in Austin, 262, 265, 285
education of, 103, 112, 136, 153, 155–57, 177, 199, 240
family denied resettlement in US, 287, 289
flees to Jordan, 133, 136
and friend’s wedding, 292–94
interviews for resettlement, 201, 207
resettles in Austin, 214, 235–40, 242, 285–87
school explosion and, 131–33
settles in Jordan, 150, 152, 285
and unrest in Daraa, 73–75, 77–78, 87–88, 91–93, 125, 130
Reagan, Ronald, 224, 226, 228–29, 249, 281
Real ID Act, 231
Reddit, 254, 305–6
Refugee Act of 1980, 190–92, 228, 278–79
Refugee Administration Process (RAP), 249–52
Refugee Admissions Process, 230, 273, 281
refugee camps
average length of stay in, 233
crucial role of, 232–34
in Europe, 15, 18–19, 163
in Jordan, 152, 158–59, 177, 179, 201, 204
poor conditions in, 18–19, 233
refugees trapped in, 62, 232–34, 251
in Thailand, 2, 62, 300
trauma and, 192
See also Mae La refugee camp; Nu Po refugee camp
Refugee Convention (1951), 20, 231, 252
Refugee Relief Act (1953), 166
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