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The Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya shelter hundreds of thousands of people who have fled war or drought in nearby countries. Many people in the camps cling to the hope of resettlement abroad in countries like the U.S. But in January, President Trump abruptly halted refugee admissions, and now many there are waiting anxiously to see if the program will be resumed, as Emmanuel Igunza reports from Nairobi.
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EMMANUEL IGUNZA: What was supposed to be a temporary haven has now become a place of permanent limbo for many here in Dadaab. Over the last three decades, thousands have built their lives in this barren, dusty sprawl of refugee camps in northern Kenya, raising families, waiting for resettlement.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Non-English language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Non-English language spoken).
IGUNZA: Home to over 400,000 mostly Somali refugees, many cling to the hope of resettling in countries like the U.S...
FARAH ABDI GEID: (Non-English language spoken).
IGUNZA: ...Refugees like Farah Abdi Geid (ph), who lives with a disability. He has been in Dadaab for over 30 years. Geid had cleared all background checks, undergone medical screenings and secured a plane ticket to travel to the U.S. But then in January, the news that everyone had been dreading - President Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending the U.S. refugee admission program.
F ABDI GEID: (Non-English language spoken).
IGUNZA: "My plea to President Trump is to reconsider his decision," he says. "Many of us have waited decades for this opportunity. Please don't destroy our dreams." For many here, including Geid, this is the second time they've been affected by a Trump executive order, the first back in 2017, when the travel ban against seven Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia, came into force.
SHANDEZ ABDI GEID: Since he started - elected, my heart was broken.
IGUNZA: Across the Atlantic in Dallas, Texas, Geid's sister, Shandez Abdi Geid (ph) was devastated when she was told that her brother's travel plans had been canceled. Now she fears they may never be reunited.
S ABDI GEID: My blood pressure and my sugar is so high because of the stress. I got it from the refugee are not coming to this country anymore.
IGUNZA: The current freeze on refugee resettlement is under review. In the next few days, the Department of Homeland Security will decide whether or not the resumption of the program is in the, quote, "interests of the U.S."
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTORS: (Non-English language spoken).
IGUNZA: But this current crisis for refugees extends far beyond the resettlement delays. In recent weeks, there have been protests in camps, including Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya, with people demanding access to food, water and shelter.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTORS: (Chanting in non-English language).
IGUNZA: Trump's freeze on foreign aid and dismantling of USAID has led to reduced food rations and scaling down of other essential services, and people here are frustrated.
ABDULLAHI BORU HALAKHE: A huge chunk of the refugee response in Kenya is supported by the United States - upwards of 70% of all the food.
IGUNZA: Abdullahi Boru Halakhe from Refugees International warns that food assistance to the refugees in camps could run out completely by April.
HALAKHE: For the Somali refugees, all the three options are getting narrower now. Somalia is not yet peaceful for them to go back to. Kenya - they do not get all the support that they would want. And thirdly, the United States shutting any door or any opportunity for them to relocate.
IGUNZA: The situation in Dadaab is dire, with rising desperation leading to a rise in suicides and a growing feeling of hopelessness and abandonment, according to Refugees International.
S ABDI GEID: Let the people come, and they will unite their families.
IGUNZA: And for Geid's sister in Dallas, there is a passionate plea to President Trump.
S ABDI GEID: Don't stop. We need each other, as sister and brother.
IGUNZA: For now, Dadaab provides shelter, but no clear vision of a future in a place where the prospect of a new life feels more distant with each passing day. For NPR News, I'm Emmanuel Igunza in Nairobi, Kenya.
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