GRAND FORKS – New state and federal legislation targeting resettled refugee populations has left many families and individuals feeling unwelcome and uncertain of their future in Grand Forks, according to Global Friends Executive Director Cynthia Shabb.
On Nov. 21, the Trump administration announced that all refugees accepted under the Biden administration between Jan. 20, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2025,
were going to be retroactively reviewed
, and possibly removed from the country. Shabb said the policy could have “dangerous” consequences for individuals and families.
In Grand Forks, the 213 refugees who were resettled during this time period and could possibly be affected are “very nervous,” she said.
“We’ve got people calling us and texting us and coming in saying ‘What should I do? … What’s going to happen to all my children?’” Shabb said. “We don’t really know. We don’t know what that re-review process will look like.”
Shortly after the November announcement, the Trump administration announced the
pausing of green card applications for people from 19 countries
and a refugee cap of 75,000 in 2026 –
the lowest refugee cap in history
, according to CBS News. North Dakota also recently announced that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
benefits would no longer be available to refugees
, only to lawful permanent residents who had lived in the state for five years.
“North Dakota has decided not to offer SNAP to any refugees, and that’s really the critical time at which you need SNAP – within the first year or so,” Shabb said. “So SNAP is gone, Medicaid is coming up next after the midterm elections in 2026, and so it’s been very challenging for families.”
All of these policy changes, Shabb said, have contributed to an “atmosphere of questioning” and “fear.”
“There’s a lot of new pieces to the landscape that came all at once,” she said. “Eliminating SNAP, then these edicts from above, making everybody more worried, not feeling welcome, and really questioning what’s going to happen to them.”
In the midst of these challenges, Shabb said donations, particularly food donations, can help families stay on their feet and feel welcomed. She said the Grand Forks community has been particularly generous donating food to help families struggling without SNAP benefits.
“We have been asking people to consider giving us gift cards at Walmart or Target, some people have given to Aldi. We have been asking for specific food basket items. … So money specific to help refugee families with the SNAP gap – well it’s not a gap anymore – the SNAP closure,” Shabb said. “If people you know can give generously to help with food support, now is a great time.”
Sophia is the K-12 education reporter for the Grand Forks Herald.