Issues

Iraqis/Chaldeans/Assyrians

Posted on Wednesday April 8, 2009

Iraqi Chaldeans and Assyrians were among the earliest immigrants from the Arab world to come to the United States. Chaldeans and Assyrians are Aramaic-speaking Christian communities whose origins lie in Northern Iraq, Southeastern Turkey, and Northwestern Iran. Many of them believe they have a unique ethnic identity which is other than Arab. Most of the Iraqi Chaldeans originate from the village of Telkaif in northern, modern-day Iraq. Many of the Assyrians in the US were originally from Turkey but fled persecution there into Iran and Iraq around the time of World War I. In the early 20th Century, Chicago became the main destination for Assyrian immigrants while Chaldeans favored Detroit.

Population Estimates of Americans of Iraqi/Chaldean Ancestry

Posted on Wednesday April 8, 2009

One way to estimate the number of persons living in America with roots in Iraq is through the ancestry question in the U.S. Census. While the census ancestry question identifies only a portion of the population with origins in the Arab world, it is a useful tool to track growth and location of population groups.

Statement on Iraq

Posted on Thursday October 23, 2008