KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Trump Administration’s travel ban on 12 countries, and partial bans on seven more, took effect Monday.
Local refugee resettlement agencies are now working overtime to meet the needs of refugee families as they deal with uncertainty.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump indefinitely suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, citing safety and national security.
Federal funding has been cut for agencies that provide critical resources to refugee families, including housing, health and wellness, language classes, digital literacy, childcare and legal services.
With the help of community partnerships, fundraisers and volunteers, Della Lamb has been able to provide those services.
“There are a number of individuals who were scheduled to arrive who are currently waiting,” said Executive Director of Della Lamb Community Services, Ryan Hudnall. “They’ve sold all their belonging that they may have had. If they were living in a refugee camp, they may have moved to another location in preparation for the move to the United States. So it’s this uncertainty, volatility, that is proving so hard.”
Hudnall says even refugees already living here, who took legal pathways, are in limbo. What is covered under every visa is unique, and last month, the Supreme Court also terminated CHNV Humanitarian Parole statuses.
“Fundamentally, we want to make sure our newest neighbors know they do not have to walk this road in isolation,” said Hudnall. “We’re still navigating a bit in the dark waiting for more information to make sure our families understand what’s next.”
Just a few minutes away, Jewish Vocational Services is dealing with similar concerns. JVS welcomed new refugees for the last time on January 22, 2025, but services are still needed for the 300 people that arrived in the weeks and months preceding before President Trump's election.
“We are almost at six months since we have welcomed anybody new into Kansas City, and our phone lines and our lobby are busier than ever,” said Jewish Vocational Services Executive Director, Hilary Cohen Singer.
Singer says the U.S. refugee resettlement program has a very robust, long-standing security vetting process. While she understands that security is vitally important, it does not have to come at the cost of humanitarian programs.
Ultimately, she wants people to know this is about families, especially families of those from countries who were allies of the U.S.
“Folks who supported the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan and came to the United States in 2021, 2022 and were really welcomed with open arms by many, many segments of our community here — faith community, the veterans community. And one of the really saddest parts of this is that there many folks in the Afghan community who had to evacuate without members of their immediate families. Men, who’ve left their wives and children overseas hoping to reunify with them, and that opportunity as of today, is now closed for the time being,” said Cohen Singer.
She believes the impacts of the travel ban extend beyond refugee families. For example, it will greatly impact the local workforce.
“Many people who are already part of our workforce, if they lose their work authorizations, those jobs are going to be hard to fill,” said Cohen Singer.
As refugee families walk forward in uncertainty, Hudnall wants families to know they still have rights.
“Employers, property managers may be inclined to take steps because they might hear information. But many of those steps may be inappropriate based on an individual’s right to be here,” said Hudnall. “My message is to contact legal services.”
