UN: 30,000 Iraqis Moved to U.S. in Resettlement Program

GENEVA – The U.N. refugee agency says more than 30,000 Iraqis have moved to the United States under a resettlement program that began in 2007.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says much smaller numbers have gone to more than a dozen other countries.

UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic says the agency has recommended the resettlement of 82,500 people.

But Mahecic says that so far only 33,000 have been accepted by their proposed host countries.

UNHCR urges nations to expedite the resettlement of the Iraqi refugees particularly at risk.

The agency says most of the 2 million Iraqi refugees are still living without permanent homes in neighboring Syria and Jordan.