Imagine the moment of reuniting with loved ones you haven’t seen in years being taken away from you. Your brother, your elderly parent or even your child. A day you dreamed of for countless nights being ripped away by a scrawled signature.
This is the unfortunate nightmare that our refugee neighbors are facing, adding even more trauma and despair to lives that have been already destroyed by war, ethnic cleansing and forced migration.
I was born in a refugee camp in Cameroon after my family was forced to flee our home country of Chad in fear of political persecution due to being members of the family and tribe of President Hissène Habre, who was deposed in a coup in 1990.
My family resettled to the 300 block of West Grant Street through the same refugee admissions program that President Donald Trump recently ended indefinitely with a stroke of a pen.
When seeing the news of these recent executive orders, I reflect on the recent passing of my father, who would always share his refugee story on how “We Lost the Power” — but then became proud Americans through resettlement.
My father attended infantry school at Fort Moore (then called Fort Benning) in Georgia in the 1980s as an international student and then went back to Chad as his uncle became president. After living in refugee camps for more than seven years in multiple countries, our family found safety in Lancaster.
My father was then able to bring several of his brothers and sisters to the United States, where they are now proud American citizens and have also served in our military.
I think about the work of local organizations such as Church World Service Lancaster, which recently had to furlough staff due to funding cuts and freezes. If it were not for Church World Service Lancaster’s immigrant and refugee resettlement program, many of our neighbors would not have the opportunity I had to achieve safety and a thriving life here in Lancaster. I would not have had the leadership development and mentoring that was provided through its Refugee Leadership Development for Social Change program, which played a pivotal role in my decision to pursue public service. We must support our local resettlement agencies during these unprecedented times.
My life’s work is to repay the City of Lancaster for the safety and American dream it afforded my family and ensure we keep our commitment to welcoming. I have worked as a refugee advocate and community organizer, helping refugees get acclimated to Lancaster and get access to service. And I will continue to advocate for our commitment to our most vulnerable neighbors.
Refugee resettlement is a vetted process that requires intensive interviews and thorough reviews, and it can take years before approval. This a legal pathway to safety that has been a part of this nation’s history.
This is not “illegal immigration” or the “border crisis” you see in propaganda on your screens. These are hard-working Lancaster County residents who just lost their dreams of reuniting with their spouse, parents and/or children who they were separated from through their refugee journey.
The Associated Press has reported that there are more than 1,600 Afghans whose flights to the United States were canceled — after they were cleared and vetted for helping the American military during our withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
This is catastrophic moment for refugee communities across the nation and also across your street. Lancaster has a strong history of welcoming, and we know we are better because of our new neighbors. Refugees have opened businesses, become leaders and served our city in diverse capacities.
As the first former refugee to serve on Lancaster City Council, I denounce the actions of this president through his executive orders, and I call on other elected leaders to do the same.
I urge you to call your congressional representative and U.S. senators and demand that they fight to restore the welcoming of refugees and those on protected visas. I urge you to stand with your refugee neighbors. We need your support.
Ahmed Ahmed is a member of Lancaster City Council and is a former refugee.
