I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2265 
To provide special immigrant status for certain Iraqis, to assist Iraqi refugees, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2007 
Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. SHAYS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To provide special immigrant status for certain Iraqis, to 
assist Iraqi refugees, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act of 2007’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Expansion of special immigrant status for certain Iraqis. 
Sec. 3. Special Coordinator for Iraqi refugees. 
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Sec. 4. Security and related grounds for inadmissibility. 
Sec. 5. Authorizations of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR 
CERTAIN IRAQIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, for purposes of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), subject to subsection 
(c)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security may provide 
an alien described in subsection (b) with the status of a 
special immigrant under section 101(a)(27) of such Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)), if— 
(1) the alien, or an agent acting on behalf of 
the alien, files with the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity a petition under section 204 of such Act (8 
U.S.C. 1154) for classification under section 
203(b)(4) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(4)); and 
(2) the alien is otherwise eligible to receive an 
immigrant visa and is otherwise admissible to the 
United States for permanent residence, except in de-
termining such admissibility, the grounds for inad-
missibility specified in section 212(a)(4) of such Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)) shall not apply. 
(b) ALIENS DESCRIBED.— 
(1) PRINCIPAL ALIENS.—An alien is described 
in this subsection if the alien— 
(A) is a national of Iraq; 
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(B) worked directly with the United States 
Government, the United Nations, certified gov-
ernment or United Nations contractor or sub-
contractor, or United States-based nongovern-
mental organization for a period of at least one 
year; and 
(C) has a not manifestly unfounded fear of 
persecution, violence, or harm to the alien or 
the alien’s family on account of the work of the 
alien under subparagraph (B). 
(2) SPOUSES AND CHILDREN.—An alien is de-
scribed in this subsection if the alien is the spouse 
or child of a principal alien described in paragraph 
(1), and is following or accompanying to join the 
principal alien. 
(3) PRESUMPTION.—An alien who is described 
in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) shall 
be presumed to satisfy the requirement described in 
subparagraph (C) of such paragraph. 
(c) NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS AND BENEFITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The total number of prin-
cipal aliens who may be provided special immigrant 
status under this section shall not exceed 15,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011. 
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(2) EXCLUSION
FROM
NUMERICAL
LIMITA-
TIONS.—Aliens provided special immigrant status 
under this section shall not be counted against any 
numerical limitation under sections 201(d), 202(a), 
or 203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1151(d), 1152(a), and 1153(b)(4)). 
(3) BENEFITS.—Aliens provided special immi-
grant status under this section shall be eligible for 
the same resettlement assistance, entitlement pro-
grams, and other benefits as refugees admitted 
under section 207 of the Immigration and Natu-
ralization Act (8 U.S.C. 1157). 
(d) PROTECTION OF ALIENS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity, shall provide an alien described in this section 
who is applying for a special immigrant visa with 
protection if such Secretaries determine that such 
alien is in imminent danger. 
(2) FORMS
OF
PROTECTION.—Protection re-
quired under paragraph (1) may include temporary 
housing on United States military bases or at pro-
vincial reconstruction team offices or the immediate 
removal from Iraq of such alien. 
(e) PROCESSING FACILITIES.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall establish not fewer than 
five processing facilities where aliens described in 
subsection (b) may apply and interview for admis-
sion to the United States as special immigrants and 
where aliens described in section 6(b) may apply and 
interview for admission to the United States as refu-
gees. 
(2) LOCATIONS.—The processing facilities re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be established in at 
least— 
(A) two locations in Baghdad; 
(B) one location in southern Iraq; and 
(C) two locations in Iraqi Kurdistan. 
(3) MINIMIZATION OF SECURITY RISKS.—The 
processing facilities shall be established so as to min-
imize to the greatest extent practicable security risks 
for aliens described in subsection (b) who are apply-
ing and interviewing for admission to the United 
States as special immigrants. 
(f) COOPERATION WITH IRAQI GOVERNMENT OFFI-
CIALS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State and 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall seek to co-
operate with appropriate officials from the Govern-
ment of Iraq to— 
(A) increase the capacity of the Govern-
ment of Iraq to issue passports to aliens de-
scribed in subsection (b); and 
(B) ensure that aliens described in this 
section who are issued special immigrant visas 
are provided with the appropriate series Iraqi 
passport necessary to enter the United States. 
(2) PAYMENT OF PASSPORT FEES.—The Secre-
taries shall pay the costs associated with the 
issuance of such Iraqi passports. 
(g) WAIVER OF VISA FEES.—Neither the Secretary 
of State nor the Secretary of Homeland may charge an 
alien described in this section any fee in connection with 
an application for or issuance of a special immigrant visa. 
(h) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
shall submit to Congress a report on aliens described 
in this section who worked directly with the United 
States Government, the United Nations or other 
international organizations, certified government or 
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international organization contractors or subcontrac-
tors, or international nongovernmental organization 
as a translator for a period of at least one year. 
(2) CLASSIFIED ANNEX.—The report required 
under paragraph (1) may include a classified annex, 
containing information relating to personally identi-
fiable information, as necessary, to be used by ap-
propriate United States Government officials for the 
purpose of processing applications for special immi-
grant visas under this section. 
(i) APPLICATION
OF IMMIGRATION
AND NATION-
ALITY ACT PROVISIONS.—The definitions in subsections 
(a) and (b) of section 101 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101) shall apply in the administration 
of this section. 
(j) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security shall promulgate regulations to carry out the 
provisions of this section, including regulations relating to 
requirements for background checks. 
(k) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
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SEC. 3. SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR IRAQI REFUGEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De-
partment of State a Special Coordinator for Iraqi Refu-
gees and Internally Displaced Persons. 
(b) LOCATION.—The Special Coordinator shall be 
based at the embassy of the United States in Baghdad, 
Iraq. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Special Coordinator shall be re-
sponsible for the development and implementation of ap-
propriate policies and programs concerning Iraqi refugees 
and internally displaced persons, and shall establish an 
inter-agency task force to coordinate such policies and pro-
grams. 
SEC. 4. COUNTRIES OF SIGNIFICANCE. 
With respect to each country containing a significant 
population of displaced Iraqis, including Iraq, Jordan, 
Syria, Turkey, and Lebanon, the Secretary of State 
shall— 
(1) as appropriate, seek to negotiate a bilateral 
refugee resettlement agreement for such populations; 
(2) develop mechanisms to ensure the well- 
being, safety, and right to work of such populations 
in their host environments, including the necessary 
financial, material, and political assistance to sup-
port such mechanisms; 
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(3) submit to Congress, not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and every 
90 days thereafter, a report on the actions taken 
and progress made under this subsection. 
SEC. 5. STUDY AND REPORT BY GAO. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
report on the adequacy and effectiveness of United States 
and United Nations programs to protect and assist Iraqi 
refugees and internally displaced persons. 
SEC. 6. INCREASE IN NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the numerical limi-
tations provided for under subsections (a) and (b) of sec-
tion 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1157), the number of refugees who may be admitted dur-
ing the remainder of fiscal year 2007 and during fiscal 
year 2008 under subsection (c) of such section shall be 
increased by not fewer than 20,000 for the purpose of ad-
mitting refugees from Iraq. 
(b) PRIORITIZATION.—The following groups shall me 
considered Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian 
concern under the refugee resettlement priority system: 
(1) Female-headed households and unaccom-
panied children. 
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(2) Religious communities of antiquity, includ-
ing 
Chaldo-Assyrian 
Christians, 
Jews, 
Sabean 
Mandeans, Yazidis, Bahais, and others. 
(3) Other religious, ethnic, social, or minority 
groups, including gay and lesbian Iraqis, subject to 
violence, intimidation, or discrimination by state or 
non-state actors. 
(4) Iraqis with family members in the United 
States. 
SEC. 7. SECURITY AND RELATED GROUNDS FOR INADMIS-
SIBILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 212(d)(3)(B)(i) of the 
Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1182(d)(3)(B)(i)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B)(i) The Secretary of State, after consultation 
with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, or the Secretary of Homeland Security, after 
consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney 
General, may determine in such Secretary’s sole 
unreviewable discretion that subsection (a)(3)(B) shall not 
apply with respect to an alien within the scope of that 
subsection, or that subsection (a)(3)(B)(vi)(III) shall not 
apply to a group. Such a determination shall neither prej-
udice the ability of the United States Government to com-
mence criminal or civil proceedings involving a beneficiary 
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of such a determination or any other person, nor create 
any substantive or procedural right or benefit for a bene-
ficiary of such a determination or any other person. Not-
withstanding any other provision of law (statutory or non- 
statutory), including section 2241 of title 28, United 
States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and 
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, no court shall have 
jurisdiction to review such a determination except in a pro-
ceeding for review of a final order of removal pursuant 
to section 242 and only to the extent provided in sub-
section (a)(2)(D) of such section. The Secretary of State 
may not exercise the discretion provided in this clause with 
respect to an alien at any time during which the alien is 
the subject of pending removal proceedings under section 
240.’’. 
(b) 
DURESS
EXCEPTION.—Section 
212(a)(3)(B)(iv)(VI) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(iv)(VI)) is amended, in the 
matter preceding item (aa), by striking ‘‘to commit an act 
that the actor knows’’ and inserting ‘‘to commit an act, 
other than an act carried out under duress, that the actor 
knows’’. 
(c) 
TECHNICAL
CORRECTION.—Section 
212(a)(3)(B)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended, in the matter 
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