Austria grants asylum to a few stranded Iranians

The Austrian government has granted asylum to four Christian refugees from Iran, but more than 100 remain stranded. The group fled persecution in Iran more than a year ago. The United States initially offered the refugees asylum under a law known as the Lautenberg Amendment only to later reject their applications without explanation. The mass denial left the group in limbo until a member of the Austrian Parliament began lobbying on the refugees’ behalf earlier this year. All have applied for asylum in Austria, but many still hope to join family members in the United States. A federal judge ruled earlier this month that the United States cannot reject the refugees’ applications without providing reasons. The court ordered the government to reconsider the cases by the end of the day Tuesday.