159 people from the Karen, Karenni, Chin, Mon, Shan, and Rakhine refugee communities from Myanmar came to caucus at the Karen Baptist Church in DSM. All 159 caucused for Bernie, winning all 9 county delegates. It was the first vote/caucus for over 95% of them. #iowacaucuses
These people never had the legal status in the state they were born in (Myanmar) and were in refugee camps in Thailand and Burma/Myanmar border for over 15 years. They were not allowed to leave the camps for work, education, or healthcare.
Almost all came knowing little to no English and most work in some of the lowest paying jobs in Iowa, often being exploited by some of the richest employers in the state. The US is the only state they've ever had legal status in.
Almost all of these ethnic minority groups in Myanmar were and are still being persecuted. Many of their villages were burned down and wholesale ethnic cleansing was sanctioned by the Burmese government itself.
The vast majority of the leaders that organized their own communities were working mothers like Iris from the Karen community whom often have to juggle 2 full time jobs, serving their community, and raising their kids. 
Here is a video of Iris and Mu Law telling their stories as refugees from Myanmar to Iowa back in 2012.
She is one of the founding board members of @EMBARCiowa, a grassroots social service and advocacy organization founded by refugees from Myanmar and now serving groups from Myanmar, DR Congo, Syria, and Eritrea.
