Since early June, tens of thousands of Iraqis have fled Islamic State militants who have targeted religious minorities in a violent rampage across northwestern Iraq. Thousands remain in need of food, water, shelter and safety. Last month, the militants attacked one of Iraq’s oldest minorities, the Yazidi people of Sinjar.

The United States has long shown bipartisan support in offering safe haven to those fleeing violence, tyranny, and persecution—safely resettling over 3 million refugees since the passage of the 1980 Refugee Act.

Twenty-one-year-old Yasmin Ara is a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar living in Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee camp. As a community volunteer for the International Rescue Committee, she goes door-to-door to raise awareness about protection from the coronavirus. “Rohingya people help others as much as possible,” she says. Learn more about the essential contributions of refugees like Yasmin—during COVID-19 and beyond.