‘We don’t know yet’: Trump travel ban adds uncertainty for Iowa refugee families
President Donald Trump’s executive order blocks citizens from several Middle Eastern and African countries, including Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Myanmar, from traveling to the United States.
President Donald Trump’s executive order blocks citizens from several Middle Eastern and African countries, including Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Myanmar, from traveling to the United States.
President Donald Trump’s executive order blocks citizens from several Middle Eastern and African countries, including Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Myanmar, from traveling to the United States.
A new travel ban announced by the Trump administration is raising fresh concerns for Iowa families hoping to reunite with loved ones overseas — especially within the state’s refugee and immigrant communities.
President Donald Trump’s executive order blocks citizens from several Middle Eastern and African countries, including Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Myanmar, from traveling to the United States. The administration says the goal is to improve national security by preventing travel from countries with associations to terrorism.
Nick Wuertz, director of immigrant and refugee community services for Lutheran Services in Iowa said housands of people from countries affected by the ban already call Iowa home.
The ban does not apply to legal permanent residents of the United States or travelers with existing visas. However, Wuertz said the ban may create new roadblocks for refugees hoping to reunite with loved ones abroad.
"We have people here in Iowa from those countries who are Iowans now and may have family members that they are looking to bring here in the future," Wuertz said. "Are they able to apply for family members to come here or not? Obviously, we hope that it will not prevent them from doing so, but we don't know yet."
The executive order comes at a time of broader uncertainty surrounding U.S. immigration policy. In January, the Trump administration also paused all refugee resettlement — putting a stop to Lutheran Services' resettlement efforts.
“There have been a lot of changes over the last five months in terms of how our U.S. is approaching immigration,” Wuertz said. “It’s been very challenging for us as an organization often to get answers or clarification on things.”
The uncertainty is also impacting people’s willingness to travel — even for those who are already legally in the U.S.
“I think there’s a lot of hesitancy and caution around international travel — just not knowing what will change," Wuertz added.
Iowa is home to growing communities of Burmese, Afghan, Somali, and Sudanese refugees. Lutheran Services in Iowa continues to support the families who are already here, helping them find jobs, navigate school enrollment, and adjust to life in a new country. But with no timeline for resuming resettlement and unanswered questions on how the new ban will impact family reunification petitions, Wuertz said the future for many families remains uncertain.