Long Term

Vietnamese Refugees in Iowa: 

Ray's Humanitarian and Controversial Relocation

Long Term

"As a result of Governor Ray's leadership, Iowa acquired a national and international reputation for humanitarian concern for refugees."

~ Ambassador Kenneth Quinn- Ray's Refugee Program Coordinator

(Weisman)

"Pagoda in Des Moines, Iowa at the Robert Ray Asian Gardens" (Mehlhaus)

"The fact that the refugees from the three countries of Indochina were hard-working individuals whose children generally did well in school created a positive image about immigration in general." 

~ Ambassador Kenneth Quinn- Ray's Refugee Program Coordinator

     Iowa now has more Tai Dam residents than anywhere else outside of Southeast Asia. Most live in the Tai Dam village in Des Moines, continuing their culture. The Tai Dam adapted to their surroundings and started a new life. The Tai Dam represented how, with government help and welcoming citizens, immigrants can thrive (Mehlhaus).

(U.S. Census Bureau)

     In the 1990s, after the Vietnamese resettlement to Iowa, the Asian-born population increased to 43 percent of all foreign-born Iowans, increasing the state's  diversity (Lam).

(“Iowa Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster”)

     The Governor's Task Force, created by Governor Ray, is still in place today and has been renamed the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services (BRS). 

"Since then, refugees from Cambodia, Poland, Bosnia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Sudan, Burma, and many other countries have been resettled in Iowa through the assistance and support of BRS.  Today, that support continues with Afghan Refugees, and providing support to those wishing to sponsor Ukrainian refugees in Iowa."

~ History of the Bureau of Refugee Services

"They do incredible things. They have given far more back to this country than we ever gave them."

~ Judy Frideres- Vietnamese refugee sponsor

(Judy and Dwight Frideres)

Short Term