Iraqi Immigrants: Where to Settle in U.S.?

[Johnny Angel]

I recently read that we're increasing the number of Iraqi immigrants allowed into the U.S. to 7,000 per year. We may be looking at an influx coming up not unlike what we saw from Vietnam during the Sino-Vietnamese wars.

My neighborhood in Chicago picked up a significant Vietnamese population during this period, as well as a good number of displaced southern whites. My understanding of this phenomenon is that new immigrant or otherwise displaced populations tend to find homes in areas that are economically depressed at the time, which Uptown Chicago was in the late sixties through the seventies.

So, I'm wondering, if we start accepting a lot of refugees from Iraq, where in the U.S. are they likely to settle, assuming they'll probably gravitate toward some place where rent is cheap?

[Sal Ammoniac]

Detroit would be my guess, since that's where the Iraqis already are.

[Marley23]

I was going to say metro Detroit, but Sal Ammoniac got it. I'm sure many will come to New York and other major cities.

Perhaps some of them should move to Washington DC, so they can try to increase that 7,000.

[RTFirefly]

I was going to say metro Detroit, but Sal Ammoniac got it. I'm sure many will come to New York and other major cities.

Perhaps some of them should move to Washington DC, so they can try to increase that 7,000.Lot of good that would do them. Taxation without representation, and all that.

[Marley23]

I was thinking of demonstrations, but you make a good point.

[Mr. Moto]

Well, they'd move to the Virginia and Maryland suburbs like all good patriotic Washington residents do. ;)

There is a sizable Arab community already here. I'm sure it will grow in the future.

[ElvisL1ves]

Compared to the current total of about 2.6 million (http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=12377) Iraqi refugees, and who made them that way, 7000 doesn't seem like jack. Yet that's an increase? But they're mostly the educated ones, the people a growing country most needs to develop , so we could use our share of them.

Too bad about Iraq itself, though. Oh, well, what can you do?

[Zoe]

Out-of-Country voting sites were chosen (in part) based on concentration. Those cities were Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Nashville.

[Honesty]

Detroit would be my guess, since that's where the Iraqis already are.


You mean Dearborn which is about 10 minutes outside Detroit. The best place to get delicious pita and hummous dirt-cheap. ;)

- Honesty