Last Updated on January 28, 2025 by NewsTurkana
Panic and anxiety has gripped Kenyans living in the US following President Donald Trump’s policy to deport undocumented and illegal immigrants.
Since his inauguration on January 20, President Trump has signed a slew of immigration and border-related orders and decrees aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.
From the list seen by this publication, 1,282 Kenyans are set to be deported from the USA as the deportation list hits 1.4 million people.
Some of the measures Trump’s measures include one aimed at curtailing birthright citizenship, and another declaring a national emergency over immigration at the country’s borders. According to a notice on the website of the Federal Register, the policy took effect on the evening of January 21.
The policy, which has traditionally been limited to undocumented migrants detained within 100 miles (160km) of the country’s international borders, now allows officers to use it anywhere in the US.
Until now, “unauthorized” immigrants detained in the US were given a notice to appear in an immigration court, where they could present their case for asylum.
According to the Standard Kenyan Ambassador David Kerich said at least 250,000 Kenyans live in the US, while data from World Population Review estimated that by last year, many were concentrated in Minnesota, making up 0.12 per cent of the state’s population.
Other states with a relatively high percentage of Kenyan Americans include Delaware (0.11 per cent), Maryland (0.09 per cent), Washington (0.09 per cent) and Massachusetts (0.08 per cent). Texas has the highest absolute number of Kenyan Americans at 14,008 individuals, followed by California with 7,016.
Although there are claims that there could be about 40,000 Kenyans living in the US illegally, Ambassador Kerich said there are no official records indicating the same.
“What we know is that the 250,000 number could be smaller but for the undocumented Kenyans, officially we may say there is none because they don’t come to us. They live as undercovers,” he said.
In a phone interview with Standard media , Kerich said the government was closely following developments on the new US policy, even as he assured that his mission would deal with the issue on a case-by-case basis.
“I would say there is a general panic not just among Kenyans but even other nationals. However, when a case is brought to us, we shall assist to our level best and in the interest of our citizens,” he said.
