On January 20th, 2025, Trump issued an executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Anyone granted entry to the United States through the program would not be allowed in, and any funding to services helping refugees was immediately halted.

ETSS, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, is an outreach program for refugees and immigrants in Columbus, Ohio. They receive new arrivals, finding housing, interpreters, job training, English classes, and more for their clients' first few months in the United States.

The Resettlement Office had sixteen employees dedicated to helping these new arrivals. By the end of inaguration week, three-quarters of their office staff had to be let go.

ETSS helps new arrivals with housing, finding landlords who are willing to accept unconventional tenants. This hotel room hosted a family of five for two months while the organization found them a suitable place to live.

On March 20th, 2025, the family was able to move from the hotel into a two-bedroom house.  

Kadihja had been waiting in a UN Refugee camp in Djbouti for 15 years. Originally from Somalia, she fled with her husband and infant son. Her 3 daughters were born in the camp, and her husband passed away there nine years ago.

They were the last family ETSS was able to help. They arrived in the United States three days before the inaguaration, and Trump's executive order.

Tomorrow, the kids will get their vaccines, and the next week, they'll start school. ETSS will pay for their first 3 months of rent while Kadihja gets job training and English classes. She will most likely work in one of the many warehouses and factories in and around Columbus.

Her kids are excited to ride in a yellow school bus. When they grow up, they want to be teachers, a police officer, and an engineer.