Hundreds of refugees settle in Idaho each year

Immigration to this country has come under a lot scrutiny lately. It was a big part of Donald Trump’s campaign.Many people don’t know that Idaho is a major refugee resettlement destination. There are centers in Boise and Twin Falls that welcome hundreds of refugees from all over the world each year.

About 300 refugees are sent to Twin Falls each year through the U-N refugee program. Many need help with the language.

They get one-on-one tutoring from volunteers like Buddy Hall, who travels all the way from Idaho Falls to help.

“I saw the plight of refugees and it just really touched my heart,” Hall said.

Deck Waters is another volunteer. He finds it rewarding.

We’ve seen how these folks have integrated with Twin Falls and become very productive, tax-laying citizens,” Waters said.

“Even though I’m not the perfect teacher, I feel like I can express that I care about these people, and that they’re welcome here, and I think that has its own benefit,” Hall said.

After individual tutoring, the refugees learn more in group classes. That’s the job of English language coordinator Rena Garibyan who came here as a refugee herself years ago to escape religious persecution in the Soviet Block. She enjoys teaching at the center.

“Yes, I love it,” Garibyan said. “I love people — different cultures, different ethnic groups. It’s absolutely incredible.”

The center helps refugees find a place to live and a job.

“On average we are able to place refugees into a job two months after arrival. The second goal is the social integration of the refugees in the community.”

Many of the refugees escaped political persecution in Congo and waited as long as 20 years at refugee centers in Uganda before finally being approved to re-settle in the United States.

Mukamba Mubibya came here from Uganda with his wife and seven children.

In America very very good people, good,” Mubibya said in broken English.

It was a similar story for Samuel Ngbokpwo, who came here 9 months ago with his wife and five children. He couldn’t believe the welcome.

“When I came here I was totally blessed, because I’ve never had any cases of someone hating me,” Ngbokpwo said. “I see my neighbors come and greet me, giving me flowers and giving me some gifts. I feel loved. I feel loved.”

Firas Matlab has is a refugee from Iraq who has been here four months. His English is so good he helps tutor. He was an English interpreter for U-S forces when they came to Iraq in 2007.

Because he had helped Americans, he began receiving death threats and was relieved to finally be approved to move to the U-S.

“I feel safe actually for the first time in a long time,” Matlab said.

Center director Zeze Rwasama gets upset when he hears national news stories where Americans fear the refugees.

“And it’s so sad when you hear some of the people call them criminals, call them terrorists, and yet they became refugees because of terrorism,” Rwasama said.

While Twin Falls has been a welcoming community for the most part, there were some protests last year when the fears arose about terrorist infiltration among refugees. But Rwasama says extreme vetting is already taking place.

“The FBI is involved, homeland security involved, department of state involved, the INS,” Rwasama said.

Rwasama says Americans should be proud they are part of restoring lives to these refugees. He said the center can always use donations of clothes, kitchen items and money, but there’s something they need even more.

“The only thing the refugees need the most is to feel welcome,” Rwasama said.

Those who want to help can contact the CSI Refugee Center at 208-736-2166. Their website is
refugeecenter.csi.edu.