Thousands of Kenyans living in the United States are growing increasingly anxious after the Trump administration announced a sweeping re-assessment of all refugees admitted during Joe Biden’s presidency. The move has triggered fear and uncertainty among Kenyan families who had begun building new lives abroad.
According to an internal memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joe Edlow, every refugee admitted between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025 will be required to undergo fresh interviews and a more aggressive vetting process. The government intends to re-evaluate whether each individual still qualifies for refugee protection—putting many Kenyan arrivals squarely at risk.
The directive also freezes the processing of permanent residency applications for refugees who entered during the Biden era, stalling the long-awaited dreams of thousands. Many of the affected Kenyans arrived from Dadaab and Kakuma camps between 2021 and 2024 and had already begun the multi-year pathway toward U.S. citizenship.
Kenya has been one of Africa’s key refugee departure hubs for years, with UNHCR data showing that in 2022 alone, the country submitted 3,692 refugees for resettlement—many ultimately accepted by the United States. In 2023, more than 2,800 refugees departed Kenya for the U.S., including Somalis, South Sudanese, Congolese, Burundians, and a number of Kenyan nationals who had been living in local camps.
Biden Administration Faulted
All individuals who resettled during this period, including Kenyans, now fall under the Trump administration’s review order. Officials argue that Biden’s administration may have prioritised high admission volumes over rigorous screening, prompting what they call a “necessary security reassessment.”
USCIS has warned that refugee status may be revoked if new interviews determine that an individual no longer meets the eligibility criteria. For Kenyans who fled hardship and conflict, this raises fears of deportation—especially if documentation or camp records from their time in Kenya do not meet the stricter standards now being enforced.
For many Kenyan families already integrated into American communities, the sudden announcement has left them bracing for an uncertain future.