Idahoans Show Refugee Appreciation at the Capitol

Idahoans from refugee backgrounds and community supporters came together at the State Capitol on Feb. 24 to show appreciation for Idaho’s 50-year history of welcoming refugees.
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Chefs originally from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Kenya provided favorite foods from their home countries to lawmakers and other guests at the lunch. Caterers included Chubangu Mnongerwa, owner of Amina’s African Sambusas; husband and wife Oleksii and Liudmyla Dmytriienko from Ukraine; and Wahid Amani, an army veteran from Afghanistan.

The annual Idaho Appreciation Lunch: From Refugees to Lawmakers was hosted by the Idaho Office for Refugees and Idaho Dairymen’s Association and endorsed by over 200 organizations and businesses from across the state.

“Our operation would not be what it is today without (the refugee community) as part of our workforce teams. Those of us not familiar with their cultures and customs have learned a great deal, which makes our leaders stronger, better educated and more empathetic towards all individuals.”

 -Steve Cherry, CS Beef Packers plant manager in Kuna

Refugees are those who have been forced to flee their home countries due to war and persecution. Many live in refugee camps for years and even generations before having the opportunity to resettle in a third country.

The U.S. resettlement program for decades has offered a beacon of hope. The program is currently on pause due to an executive order, and federal contracts that fund resettlement agencies' welcoming services have been canceled. 
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Idaho welcomes refugees through resettlement agencies in Boise and Twin Falls. The program enjoys widespread community support from businesses, faith communities, and residents. Former refugees become integral parts of their new communities and contribute billions of dollars to local, state, and federal governments. Most become U.S. citizens.

Chandra Upreti, director of the USCRI Twin Falls Field Office, shares about the day he got his U.S. citizenship.

“(Getting my citizenship) was a big day for me that after so long, I was able to tell people that I belong somewhere in this world. Being in this country, one of the best things is to be able to cherish the freedom – like freedom to choose, freedom to live the life that you want, freedom to be able to raise your family the way you want. … There is room for everyone to grow and succeed.” 

-Chandra Upreti, USCRI Twin Falls

When Wahid Amani, one of the event caterers, arrived in the U.S., he saw a woman in the airport holding up a sign that read, “Welcome to your country.” That small gesture made all the difference.
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“When you lost your country, lost your family, lost your friends, everything – you got so far and you come in a new country, and somebody accepts you, somebody says, welcome to your country,” Wahid said, “from the first day I'm feeling it’s my home.”​

EVENT ORGANIZERS

The Idaho Dairymen’s Association since 1924 has worked at the local, state, regional, and federal levels to protect and promote the legislative, regulatory, legal, and stewardship interests of its members.

The Idaho Office for Refugees is a nonprofit organization under Jannus Inc. that administers the state of Idaho’s refugee resettlement program. Idaho has been a strong welcomer of refugees since founding a resettlement program in 1975 in response to the refugee crisis in Vietnam and surrounding countries. With collaboration among resettlement agency and community partners in Boise, Twin Falls, and Nampa, Idaho welcomes hundreds of refugees from around the world every year, creating strong communities that thrive together. ​