Today, the New York Times published an story by the Chicago News Cooperative's Katie Fretland, "Despite Work for U.S., Iraqi Is Denied a Green Card". The article highlights the plight of Mr. Alrais, an Iraqi refugee who was denied a Green Card after leaving the United States to work for the US Army in Iraq.

Katie Fretland writes, "Mr. Alrais came to the United States in the spring of 2008 after his life had been threatened for working as an interpreter for the United States Army in Iraq. Unable to find a job during the recession and without a green card, he returned in February to the country he had fled to work again for the Army through a private contractor."

Mr Alrais wife, Nada Alkhaddar is a volunteer at Muslim Women Resource Center, an ICIRR member organization and non profit in Chicago that helps immigrants deal with the bureaucracy of the immigration system. She has been trying to help her husband get his green card for the past year.

However his application was denied. Why? Because he was told he violated the physical presence requirement because of the time he spent in Iraq working for the US Army!

Until our immigration system is fixed families like Mr Alrais' will continue to suffer.

Please tell your Congressman that we need workable solutions that uphold our nations values and moves us forward together now - support CIR ASAP!