Race Against Time: Refugee Organizations Accelerate Travel Preparations Ahead of Inauguration Day

Saynab Elmi had endured 11 years in an Ethiopian refugee camp, grappling with the separation from her family and the weight of uncertainty. That chapter concluded on December 18 when she landed at Logan Airport alongside her son, Hirsi.

“I hadn’t laid eyes on my daughter for so many years. And I couldn’t help but weep,” shared Elmi, 65, as her daughter, Hayat Ahmed, translated.

Elmi and her son are among the numerous recent refugees arriving in Massachusetts as part of a significant effort by local organizations to resettle as many individuals as feasible before Inauguration Day.

This urgency arises from the unpredictability regarding whether President-elect Donald Trump will fulfill his vows to close the borders and initiate an extensive deportation order on his first day in office. During his previous term, Trump imposed severe limitations on the program and severely cut funding.

“We anticipate that the doors to refugee resettlement will either close or at least experience a temporary halt on January 20th,” indicated Xan Weber, senior vice president at the International Institute of New England (IINE), a regional refugee organization.

“We’re making a substantial effort to try and ensure that at least half of the individuals we projected to travel this year are here by next Monday,” she remarked.

The organization pledged to resettle 308 individuals in Massachusetts by January 20 to the U.S. Department of State. By Thursday, 188 had arrived as they endeavored to accelerate travel arrangements. Flights for 15 individuals have been canceled. At least 35 are scheduled to arrive before Monday.

The organization has already received travel notifications for 40 individuals arriving after Inauguration Day, as noted by Weber.

“We’re quite concerned about those individuals’ families — [who are] anticipating their family members’ arrival — we’re genuinely worried that we will have to be the ones on the call to inform them, ‘This program is halted. This means your family will not be able to come,’” Weber expressed.

Other resettlement agencies opted to take on more cases before January 20.

“Our objective was approximately 25 families. Some families might consist of four or five individuals. We determined this number because our primary challenge is, naturally, housing in this region,” remarked Lino Covarrubias, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Metrowest.

Families may be placed in hotels until permanent housing becomes available, including in-law suites, host families, and rental properties. It hinges on what is accessible in a constrained housing market.

Refugees undergo thorough background investigations, security checks, and medical clearances, often enduring years of waiting for their applications while remaining in limbo in camps.

Elmi, who hails from Somalia, hadn’t encountered her daughter, Ahmed, in a decade. Ahmed had applied for her entire family to come through the refugee reunification program. Now, her mother and sister have arrived — but the remaining siblings are still abroad, with no clear indication of when they might arrive in the U.S.

“I was frightened when I learned Trump was returning — and when they said, ‘Alright, you can proceed to America,’ I was filled with gratitude, saying, ‘God, thank you,’” recounted Elmi.

Through the agency, refugees are allotted up to $3,000 to assist with administrative costs and their needs for the first three months, including housing. IINE anticipates needing to raise an additional $3,000 to $4,000 per refugee to supplement those federal funds.

An IINE team member, Saw John Bright, has relatives who were initially scheduled to arrive in December but have found themselves stranded in a camp located on the Thai-Burmese border.

“They received clearance from the U.S.— but I don’t understand why they cannot travel at this moment. Perhaps they lack a travel permit from Thai authorities,” he remarked. Bright is a political refugee from Burma.

Bright is concerned they might not be able to arrive and could remain trapped in the camp.

“Currently, back in our homeland, the situation is becoming more dire. There is a lot of conflict, violence, and all sorts of awful circumstances occurring,” he conveyed regarding the conditions in Burma.

Resettlement organizations have garnered support from the state’s Office of Refugees and Immigrants, particularly in accelerating contracts.

“We have been collaborating closely with our resettlement partners to ensure they have the tools, information, and resources we can offer to assist refugees and immigrants in Massachusetts,” stated spokesperson Olivia James in a press release. “For ORI, this entails enhancing communication and coordination and expediting contracts.”