NAIROBI, Kenya — Thousands of Kenyans living in the United States are facing fresh uncertainty after the Trump administration ordered an extensive review targeting more than 200,000 refugees admitted during Joe Biden’s tenure.
An internal memo signed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joe Edlow directs that all refugees admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025, undergo new interviews and intensified security vetting to reassess their continued eligibility for protection.
The memo further orders an immediate freeze on the processing of permanent residence applications for refugees resettled during the Biden period, a move that directly affects thousands of individuals who had already begun long-term pathways toward U.S. citizenship.
A significant number of those affected are Kenyans who departed the country between 2021 and 2024, many of whom had lived in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps before being relocated to the U.S. through UNHCR-supported resettlement programmes.
According to UNHCR data, Kenya submitted 3,692 refugees for resettlement in 2022, with a majority accepted by the U.S., while more than 2,800 refugees departed Kenya for America in 2023. These individuals—largely originating from Somalia, South Sudan, the DRC, and Burundi—are now subject to the new review order.
USCIS officials argue that the reassessment is necessary because the previous administration allegedly prioritised higher admission numbers over stringent security and background checks.
The new directive orders comprehensive re-interviews for all affected case files and warns that refugee status may be revoked if officers determine that an individual no longer meets the criteria for protection.
For refugees who departed from Kenya, the prospect of re-interviews raises particular concerns. Many worry that discrepancies in camp records, personal histories, or documentation gathered during their time in Dadaab or Kakuma could expose them to heightened scrutiny under Trump’s stricter standards.
Immigration lawyers in the U.S. have already noted that any inconsistencies—however minor—may now carry severe consequences, including the risk of deportation.
The policy shift has triggered alarm among Kenyan communities across several U.S. states, with advocacy groups warning that the sweeping review not only disrupts integration efforts but also places vulnerable refugees in renewed fear of instability.
With permanent residency applications on hold and intensified vetting underway, thousands now face an uncertain future in a country they had hoped to rebuild their lives in.
As the review process begins, attention is turning to how the Trump administration will balance national security concerns with international refugee protection obligations—an issue expected to draw significant scrutiny from human rights organisations and affected diaspora communities in the weeks ahead.
