The Trump administration has initiated a comprehensive review of over 200,000 refugees admitted to the United States during Joe Biden's presidency, affecting thousands of Kenyans resettled from camps in the country. An internal memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services directs fresh interviews and vetting for those who arrived between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025. This move halts permanent residence applications and raises fears of potential deportations.
Sections of the Kenyan community in the United States are on high alert following the launch of a sweeping review by the Trump administration. The initiative targets refugees who entered the U.S. during Joe Biden's tenure, with an internal memo signed by USCIS Director Joe Edlow outlining the process.
All refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025, must undergo new interviews and intense vetting to determine if they still qualify for protection. The memo also orders an immediate stop to processing permanent residence applications for this group. This policy directly impacts thousands of Kenyan refugees who relocated from Dadaab and Kakuma camps, many of whom had begun the journey toward U.S. citizenship.
Kenya has served as a key departure point for African refugees seeking resettlement. According to UNHCR data, in 2022, Kenya submitted 3,692 refugees for resettlement, with many accepted by the U.S. The following year, over 2,800 individuals left Kenya for the U.S., including those from Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi who had resided in Kenyan camps. Kenyans among this cohort now face uncertainty under the review.
The administration's rationale stems from concerns that Biden's policies emphasized high admission numbers at the expense of thorough vetting. USCIS plans comprehensive re-interviews for all affected cases, warning that refugee status could be terminated if individuals no longer meet protection criteria. For those resettled from Kenya, discrepancies in paperwork could lead to deportation risks, heightening anxiety within the community.