A mere 51 Iraqi refugees who helped U.S. troops were allowed entry to the U.S. in Fiscal Year 2018, a severe drop compared to previous years, a Reuters reporter announced on Twitter. According to Reuters, 3,051 Iraqi refugees were allowed into the U.S. last fiscal year for being interpreters or helping American soldiers stationed in Iraq. Over 5,129 were permitted in Fiscal Year 2016, and over 7,000 were allowed into the U.S. in 2015. In August, Reuters reported that the Pentagon was “concerned” that the drastic decrease in numbers may “harm national security by dissuading locals from cooperating with the United States in Iraq and other conflict zones.”
