Just weeks after arriving in San Diego, refugee Nobert Oroma is facing an uncertain future — one filled with worry for the family members he was forced to leave behind. The South Sudanese refugee spent the last 20 years in a Ugandan refugee camp before finally being granted legal resettlement in the United States. But now, due to a recent policy change, his siblings were unable to join him in time.
“I’m really worried,” Oroma shared. “I don’t know what will happen.”
Oroma and his family originally fled war in South Sudan nearly two decades ago, seeking safety and stability. After spending 18 years on a waitlist for legal resettlement, the opportunity finally came. He and three family members made it to San Diego, but his brother and sister — scheduled to fly out on January 27 — had their plans abruptly canceled.
Just days before their departure, President Trump signed an executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, a policy designed to provide a safe haven for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. The sudden shift has left Oroma’s siblings stranded in Uganda and their family separated once again.
Oroma is not alone. Katherine Bom, the executive director of RefugeeNet, a local nonprofit that assists refugees in starting a new life in San Diego, says multiple families are now in limbo. Her organization was preparing to welcome 15 refugees this week, all of whom had their travel plans revoked due to the policy change.
“We were so excited to have people in the community to welcome them,” Bom said, standing in a warehouse filled with donated housewares: mattresses, furniture, coffee makers, backpacks, bicycles — all intended for those who were supposed to arrive.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 60,000 refugees were admitted to the U.S. in 2023, with the majority coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Afghanistan.
Advocates argue that halting the refugee resettlement program not only disrupts lives but also leaves thousands vulnerable to violence, poverty, and displacement. Bom hopes the policy will be reversed to allow those left behind a chance to start anew.
“Hopefully, the policy will change and give these people a chance,” she said.
For Oroma, that chance means everything.
