Local Jordanian Speaks About Syrian Refugees

Civilians from Syria are crossing the borders… often with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Millions have fled the conflict, and have taken refuge in neighboring countries including Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.

“Actually it's kind of scary. You know my town north of Jordan is very close to the Syrian border so at night you hear the bombing and start imagining,” said Sinan Algharibeh

Sinan Algharibeh temporarily lives in Fresno...a film student at Fresno Pacific.

But his family lives close one of the biggest refugee camps in Jordan, Zaatari, which houses hundreds of thousands of refugees.

“People come to our house ...looking for a place to stay,” he explains.

There are also tens of thousands of refugees stranded at the Syrian border, waiting for permission to cross and reach the camps.

President Obama has promised to allow more Syrians temporarily settle in the United States.

Jeremy Clason the first of the refugees to come to the us as refugees because of this civil war won't be until 2014 5 or 2015,” said Jeremy Clason.

Jeremy Clason is an immigration attorney who's helped many Latin Americans apply for asylum in the valley.

The process for any foreigner seeking protection is cumbersome, he says.

“It’s typically going to be women and children coming over. They will have had to have proven they've been subject to severe torture or severe cruelty and the application process hasn't even started yet,” said Clason.

Sinan agrees, the journey for these refugees is far from over.

“These are people who have nothing to do with the ongoing struggle, whether it's the regime or the opposition. These are innocent people. Basically they are victims,” he said.

Sinan says he’s looking forward to the coming months…to see how the Jordanian government rolls out a plan to bring order to the camps.