President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending refugee resettlement and international asylum has affected over 50 refugees who were set to come to Bowling Green, Kentucky. The refugees, who had been waiting for nearly two decades, had been legally cleared to come to the U.S. from countries like Afghanistan. The executive director of the International Center of Kentucky in Bowling Green, Albert Mbanfu, had the difficult task of informing some immigrants already in the U.S. that their loved ones would not be able to join them. This news left one man devastated, wondering why he was deprived of the opportunity to be reunited with his son.
Trump cited the overwhelming burden placed on cities and communities due to “record levels of migration” as the reason for suspending the refugee program. The suspension has halted all travel bookings, leaving the future of these refugees uncertain. If and when the executive order is lifted, the refugees will need to reapply to enter the U.S., a process that could take at least another year and a half.
Mbanfu emphasized the emotional toll this decision has taken on the refugees, many of whom had endured persecution and hardship only to have their hopes of starting anew in America dashed. He urged Americans to empathize with these families who have been separated from their loved ones, unsure of when or if they will ever have the opportunity to reunite. The International Center of Kentucky and other organizations that support refugees are left grappling with how to move forward and provide assistance in the face of these sudden cancellations.
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