The UN estimates that over 4 million Iraqis have been displaced by violence in their country, the vast majority of whom have fled since 2003. Over 2 million have vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq, 1.5 million are now living in Syria, and over 1 million refugees inhabit Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, and Turkey. With no legal work options in their current host countries, Iraqis are already exploring the use of false documents to migrate to Western nations.

The violence in Iraq has reached a deadly tipping point: Most Iraqis feel threatened. While the US debates whether a civil war is raging in Iraq, thousands of Iraqis face the possibility of death every day all over the country. Refugees International has met with dozens of Iraqis who have fled the violence and sought refuge in neighboring countries. All of them, whether Sunni, Shia, Christian, or Palestinian, had been directly victimized by armed actors. People are targeted because of religious affiliation, economic status, and profession -- many, such as doctors, teachers, and hairdressers, are viewed as "anti-Islamic."

Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria consider Iraqis "guests" rather than refugees fleeing violence. None of these countries allows Iraqis to work. Although Syria is maintaining its "open door policy" in the name of pan-Arabism, it has begun imposing conditions on Iraqi refugees, such as charges for health care that used to be free. In Jordan, Iraqis have to pay for the most basic services, and live in constant fear of deportation. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for Iraqis to enter Jordan or to renew their visas to remain in that country.

Although they have received additional funds for this crisis in 2007, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees can't provide adequate protection and assistance to Iraqis. Without staff to monitor borders, UNHCR depends on national governments for updated information on new arrivals. UNHCR is also unable to provide significant assistance to Iraqis, and receives very little support from other UN agencies that seem slow to acknowledge the extent of the crisis.

Conditions for Palestinians from Iraq and other third country nationals are especially desperate. Many Iraqis resent the preferential treatment Palestinians received under Saddam Hussein's regime. As a result, several militia and sectarian groups have singled out Palestinians as recipients of a collective "fatwa" (or death sentence). Three hundred and seventy-two Palestinians from Iraq are living near the Al Tanf border crossing between Iraq and Syria in a makeshift refugee camp located in the land between both borders. They have been denied entry by the Syrian government and they refuse to return to Iraq. Another vulnerable group is the Iranian Kurds in Jordan; 192 have been living in between the Iraqi and Jordanian borders since January 2005.

The United States must begin by acknowledging that violence in Iraq has made civilian life untenable, creating a refugee crisis that is essentially exporting the nation's instability to neighboring countries. Given its central role in Iraq, the US should lead an international initiative to support Middle Eastern countries hosting Iraqi civilians. The US should recognize and support the constructive role Syria is playing in hosting Iraqi refugees and help it keep its borders open.

Western countries, including the US, must agree to resettle particularly vulnerable groups, without prejudice to their right to return to their country as recognized under international law.

Tell Congress to provide more funding for Iraqi refugees, and donate to humanitarian relief groups like Refugees International.