Refugees fled conflict & violence before coming to the U.S. They’ve found a home in Idaho

Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Tresor Uchama and Enock Keju sat patiently connected achromatic integrative chairs connected Saturday arsenic nan sun hit down, waiting to return portion successful nan last measurement of their astir decade-long travel to becoming American citizens.

Uchama had near nan Democratic Republic of nan Congo to debar conflict and raised Keju successful Uganda earlier they came to nan United States arsenic refugees.

“My parents wanted a amended life for their children,” Keju, 19, said successful an interview. “(And a) amended opportunity for our future.”

After 7 years of waiting, Keju and Uchama raised their correct hands alongside 8 different refugees from Burundi, Thailand, Ukraine, Myanmar, Congo and nan Central African Republic, and swore nan oath of allegiance to go American citizens.

The arena was held during a World Refugee Day arena astatine nan Grove Plaza and Capital City Public Market, pinch nan smell of basking nutrient wafting astir and cheers from hundreds of attendees.

Uchama said he was happy to beryllium capable to return portion successful nan event.

“I’m grateful,” Uchama said. “It’s been amazing.”

Uwantege Stratone from Burundi holds a bouquet of flowers aft becoming an American national astatine a World Refugee Day celebration. | Sarah A. Miller, Idaho Statesman

Home successful Idaho

Those successful attendance included some those who had precocious arrived successful Boise arsenic refugees and those who had already gone done nan citizenship process and wanted to show support.

Neville Mutombo, who was calved successful a exile campy successful Zambia aft his parents fled conflict successful Congo, moved to Boise successful February pinch 3 of his family members.

Mutombo said life successful Zambia was restricted and that he wasn’t ever allowed to speak his autochthonal language.

“You are restricted. You person to accommodate to their language,” Mutombo told nan Idaho Statesman. “It was very difficult.”

Mutombo was a coach successful Zambia and said he’d recovered a occupation tutoring mathematics astatine nan College of Western Idaho.

“(It feels) very bully to chat to nan students, to talk to them, to get to cognize them,” Mutombo said.

Like galore others, Rachel Julugbeh came to Idaho successful hunt of a measurement retired of nan exile campy that she had lived successful for 14 years.

Julugbeh moved from Liberia to Boise successful 2003, became a national successful 2009 and attended nan arena to support different refugees who had recovered a safe haven successful Boise.

She said she had knowledgeable nan agelong roadworthy to citizenship and knew what it was for illustration for others who had to time off their ain countries.

“It’s a horrible feeling,” Julugbeh said.

There was a batch of alteration moving from Liberia to Boise because she couldn’t do galore of nan things she was utilized to doing successful Liberia, she said.

“(But) life is each astir change,” Julugbeh said. “You sewage to get utilized to nan feeling.”

Julugbeh sold earrings during nan citizenship arena to raise money to build a room successful Liberia and said she has loved surviving successful Idaho.

“I’ve been present for almost 20 years and I emotion it,” she said. “I really emotion it here.”

Idaho welcomes thousands arsenic world exile situation worsens

The 10 refugees who took portion successful Saturday’s arena were conscionable a mini sliver of nan thousands of refugees successful Idaho.

Since 2000, nan authorities has welcomed much than 15,600 refugees pinch conscionable complete 1,000 projected for fiscal twelvemonth 2024, according to nan Idaho Office for Refugees. That’s astir connected par pinch nan number of arrivals successful 2023 and 2022, but up from nan 4 years from 2016 done 2020.

Holly Beech, communications head for nan Idaho Office for Refugees, said that restrictions put successful spot by then-President Donald Trump had lowered nan numbers of refugees, past an moreover bigger driblet came erstwhile nan COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The number started to climb again erstwhile nan Taliban captured power of Afghanistan aft nan U.S. subject pulled retired successful 2021 and erstwhile Russia invaded Ukraine successful 2022.

“It’s been a benignant of absorbing 5 years,” Beech said.

The number of refugees Idaho welcomed has bounced backmost from nan lows of nan COVID-19 pandemic, erstwhile world migration dropped. The authorities welcomed conscionable complete 1,200 refugees successful 2022 and 2023, breaking nan erstwhile grounds group successful 2016 of 1,114 people. | Courtesy Idaho Office for Refugees via Idaho Statesman

While nan number of refugees has gone up complete nan past fewer years, Beech said they walk a batch of clip reasoning astir resettlement numbers to make judge they don’t overwhelm section resettlement agencies and invited centers.

In fiscal twelvemonth 2023, 558 refugees arrived successful Idaho from Congo, 292 from Ukraine and 132 from Afghanistan.

Congo has been nan largest state of root successful caller history for Idaho, pinch nan authorities welcoming astir 3,000 refugees betwixt 2000 and 2022.

“It’s conscionable constant,” said Beech.

The state has seen decades of conflict betwixt equipped groups, wide violence, epidemics and nutrient insecurity, according to nan Office of nan United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, aliases UNHCR. 700,000 group were displaced wrong Congo successful 2023, ratcheting up nan full number of those who person been forced to time off their homes but stayed successful nan state to 6.2 million.

More than 1 successful each 69 group worldwide person been forcibly displaced from their homes, pinch astir 43.3 cardinal refugees worldwide astatine nan extremity of 2023, according to nan UNHCR. The number of refugees has tripled successful nan past decade.

Beech said that galore of nan refugees who person recovered a location successful nan Treasure Valley person been done devastating trauma — but that nan World Refugee Day citizenship arena is simply a celebration. It’s a reminder that there’s still life and beauty aft going done those experiences.

“It’s an opportunity for group to commencement again,” Beech said.

Children danced astatine World Refugee Day astatine Grove Plaza successful downtown Boise connected Saturday. The arena is held each twelvemonth to showcase world cultures and observe caller citizens. | Sarah A. Miller, Idaho Statesman