Tillis: Obama Administration Failing To Protect Camp Liberty Refugees | Eastern North Carolina Now

    News Release:

"The Obama Administration pledged to protect these refugees who put their lives and their children's lives on the line for freedom, yet it has done absolutely nothing to keep America's word."

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) took to the Senate floor to criticize the Obama Administration's lack of support for Camp Liberty, a former U.S. military installation in Baghdad that now houses approximately 2,300 Iranian political refugees who oppose the totalitarian Islamic Republic of Iran.

    Camp Liberty has been targeted in countless attacks over the last several years, including an attack on October 29, 2015, during which an Iran-backed militia fired 16 Iranian-made rockets at the camp, killing more than 20 refugees. The deadly attack came only weeks after the Iranian government signed a nuclear deal with the P5+1 powers.

    Despite initially working to create Camp Liberty and pledging to protect the Iranian refugees, the Obama Administration has been slow to address the camp's security vulnerabilities.

    "The men, women and children at Camp Liberty have suffered numerous attacks resulting in hundreds of casualties. Camp Liberty, which was supposed to be a temporary home before the refugees were resettled outside Iraq, has not received the most basic humanitarian needs. They lack clean water, decent food, medical supplies and decent living facilities," said Senator Tillis. "The Obama Administration pledged to protect these refugees who put their lives and their children's lives on the line for freedom, yet it has done absolutely nothing to keep America's word."

    Watch Senator Tillis' floor speech here:




    Contact: Meghan Burris
        Press Secretary

    Contact: Daniel Keylin
        Communications Director

          Daniel_Keylin@tillis.senate.gov  •  (202) 224-6342