--- title: Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family | TIME description: Amid controversy about plans for refugees in the U.S. a Syrian family starts a new life in Des Moines. canonical: https://time.com/video/87cFJ57T/ og:title: Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family og:description: Amid controversy about plans for refugees in the U.S. a Syrian family starts a new life in Des Moines. og:url: https://time.com/video/87cFJ57T/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/87cFJ57T/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family twitter:description: Amid controversy about plans for refugees in the U.S. a Syrian family starts a new life in Des Moines. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/87cFJ57T/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family [Watch (HLS stream): Iowa's First Syrian Refugee Family](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/87cFJ57T.m3u8) (8:40)  _Published 2016-11-02. Amid controversy about plans for refugees in the U.S. a Syrian family starts a new life in Des Moines._ --- Oct 11, 2023 5:30 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Know Right Now: U.S. To Take In 10,000 Syrian Refugees](/video/wEnyVXOx/) ### Know Right Now: U.S. To Take In 10,000 Syrian Refugees [Lebanon Requiring Visas For Syrian Refugees](/video/WCQxdtLD/) ### Lebanon Requiring Visas For Syrian Refugees [Syrian Refugees in Jordan](/video/6XLCDU56/) ### Syrian Refugees in Jordan --- ## Transcript [ FOREIGN ] [ LAUGH ] [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] President Obama hopes to allow as many as 10, 000 Syrian refugees to come into the US. Do they ever know how the handle the millions of refugees that's also raging here in Iowa. We don't wanna become like Europe, where they let all these refugees in. If I win, they're going back. They're going back. I believe that the immigration. The situation we have in the United States is the next extinction threat to American's future. [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] [ SOUND ] [ CROSSTALK ] [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] I never followed the political conversations about anything about Syrian refugees or Syria My neighbors mentioned that this building over here that they renovated was supposed to be for disabled veterans. And instead, now, it's Syrian refugees that live there. I've never driven a bus with children that do not speak English. I don't have a problem with it at all. It's good to have different, a lot of diversity. I just hope that they are helping themself and making a better life for the family and working and being productive in our country. It breaks my heart that Trump want to not let any in America. And so, how can you say that these people don't deserves a safe life? I guess terrorists can be anywhere, I imagine. But if Syria's known for their terrorists, then yeah, I would be a little bit more uneasy. But As far as the people that are living there I haven't noticed anything threatening by any means. Their just kids kicking soccer ball, riding their bikes, same thing I did when I was a kid. Do you know who you're going to vote for in November ? >> Trump. [ MUSIC ] [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] So I live in Des Moines, Iowa. I knew that they had this family, or friends program to Kind of how new refugees who arrive have a friendly face to feel connected to in the United States. Yeah, marinara sauce, yes. And then. Eon is a very close family member who doesn't know what we're doing. He doesn't know a lot about The Arabic world, about the Muslim population other than the fear based stuff that he sees on TV, and the negative, and the terror. [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] [ LAUGH ] [ FOREIGN ] [ FOREIGN ] Practicing introducing myself in English. Hello my name is. Yes or No. Everyone say yeah. Do you know that there are some kids here from Syria? Do you know what's happening in Syria? Not really, not too much about it. [ MUSIC ] [ FOREIGN ] [ LAUGH ] [ FOREIGN ] [ MUSIC ] I'm glad you're here. We see things happening on TV to your country. And it's just gotta be a very, very difficult thing for you to live through. And, our hearts just go out to you. For what's happening to your country. I. I wish you all the luck in the world. I'm glad you're here with us. Everybody happy in here. Happy here? Iowa. Yeah. You are beautiful. People and with her. 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