The Refugees' Challenge

" Iraqi refugees escape the violence of Baghdad only to face an uncertain future here in the US I'm CNN Steve Kasten now. Violence was an everyday fact of life for Ali back in Baghdad I saw the -- and form of my face. And my -- writes all the time all the time all the time. Here in New York the most menacing sounding here is is honking car horns Ali is one of 16000 refugees who came to the US last year. Before the war he led a comfortable middle class existence might run into walls look at -- that somebody not on we have -- it to an end to the people. On -- the applause applause good after the US invasion death squad started roaming his neighborhood the start of the two till they gave people the host to a few people. -- told a local friends one by one people he knew were targeted they'd dig them beside I don't want. -- they lack -- that Hans. This feats that hit then one day he came home to the site of a letter on his door saying he was next so when you got that letter. I feel I have to I have to be -- yes I'm I have to go alt. You need to get away right away I felt -- and I went he fled to Jordan and a few years later the United Nations facilitated his resettlement here in New York they have -- looked around April to him they -- might not Ali was able to find a job in the employee cafeteria at Lehman Brothers. Then the company went under and he was laid off a -- it and how. I help those I have everything to debate you know. I'm back on now I can't find annual walk and he's helped his friend arrived here two and a half months ago them and it's outlived its. And the sudden and we god speaks just a few words of English and who fled from the death squads. And now he has another year being homeless in a strange city he said -- tools. I'm gonna lose my in my in my home. -- still have the so he said I hope to war. I'm I am very scared because that's wishes is vetted -- on. I don't wanna be -- less -- not -- to be homeless when Iraqi refugees arrive here they face a whole new set of challenges finding new home learning new language finding work. And Robert -- of the International Rescue Committee says. They receive only a few hundred dollars each month for a maximum of eight months it's a really short period of time to it and even just get your bearings and a place like New York City let alone find a job and support yourself and possibly family it's an unrealistic. Unrealistically short period of time and it's been cut back over the years when I first are doing this work refugees were eligible for 36 months sport and now the menial work available to them has dried up. Leaving them struggling to survive again we're seeing refugees who are receiving eviction notices. Who are risk of becoming homeless but I'll leave remains optimistic do you sometimes feel like. What am I doing here may be I made a mistake no I -- the last set thoughts because somebody happy Steve -- down CNN."