Refugee Resettlement
Married in a refugee camp, split by Trump's refugee cap
The number of refugees entering the U.S. has been halved by the Trump administration. Once a haven for migrants and asylum seekers, America is closing the door to refugees, dividing families in the process.
Andre Twendele has spent 11 years as a refugee after escaping the Congo. After a four year application process and intensive vetting, Andre was resettled in New Jersey. "What I’ve seen here in the U.S. is, when you are alone, it’s not easy. Especially when your wage is not too much. You feel like what you get, you spend it, and you have nothing at all." However tough life is for Andre, he is grateful to be living in the safety of America and now waits for his wife Lisette to join him from Malawi. Yet Trump's 120-day ban on new arrivals and the imposition of stringent vetting requirements, are delaying their reunion. Alison Millan, of the International Rescue Committee, aims to assist refugees from the moment they arrive. "Our job is to both celebrate the diversity that refugees bring and help them integrate into their new communities. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty...unfortunately most of the time it’s more questions than answers that we have." Despite this invaluable support, Andre's new life is still on hold. "I cannot say that my dream becomes reality now, because my wife is not yet here. But I have that chance to live a good, a better life."
FULL SYNOPSIS