United States (US) president Donald Trump has issued numerous executive orders pertaining to immigration since taking office on Monday, January 20, opening the door for a broad campaign targeting undocumented immigrants. US president Donald Trump aims to deport all illegal immigrants. Why Kenyans in the US risk deportation Trump has taken steps to reform the US immigration system, including the processing and deportation of migrants, in more than 20 measures. The White House has since made some of these initiatives public, with the newly appointed press secretary Karoline Leavitt posting pictures of military cargo jets conducting deportation flights on Friday, January 24. The 47th US president vowed “mass deportations” and arrests, indicating thousands of Kenyans living and working in the US were at risk of deportation.
Trump issued an executive order banning all unauthorised immigrants from entering the US and directed border patrol officers to deny asylum to those seeking it. Prior to the decree, migrants had the legal right to apply for asylum at the US border. Kenyans in the US express concerns Kenyans in the US have raised concerns over Trump’s new immigration stance, which could hurt diaspora remittances. William Misoi, one of the Kenyans in the powerful nation, told TUKO.co.ke that diaspora remittances from the US were on the brink of a nosedive. “There are a good number of Kenyans without papers who send money home. If they’re deported, the cash flow will take a massive hit,” he revealed. Wairimu Kimani, another individual, raised concerns over Kenyans ‘snitching’ on each other. “The way Kenyans are reporting each other for deportation is unbelievable. I am unsure what anyone will gain if a fellow Kenyan is deported. If you are in the US and have no legal documents, just take caution and remain mum,” Kimani said.
How important are the US’s remittances to Kenya? The Central Bank of Kenya noted the US was the largest source of remittances in 2024, accounting for more than half of inflows. Last year, Kenyans working abroad sent home $4.94 billion (KSh 640 billion). “The United States remains the largest source of remittances, contributing 51% of total inflows in 2024. The growth in remittances continues to support Kenya’s current account and the stability of the exchange rate,” CBK stated. How US authorities enforced Trump’s order After Trump was sworn into office, federal officers launched a series of immigration raids in sanctuary cities across the US. The operation, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), took place in cities such as Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington DC, and Miami. In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka condemned an ICE raid conducted without a warrant, which led to the detention of both undocumented residents and US citizens. Source: TUKO.co.ke
by Japhet Ruto
