The Chippewa River flows ahead of Luismar Liendo and Edwin Perez, pictured. (Credit: Tim Gruber for The New York Times)

A New York Times article, published today, Aug. 15, details the experiences of the last refugees admitted to the United States before President Donald Trump suspended the Refugee Admissions Program on his first day in office.

The article, reported from Eau Claire by longtime journalist Kurt Streeter, follows the stories of Luismar Liendo and Edwin Perez, two refugees who arrived in Eau Claire earlier this year – and faced immediate challenges due to the termination of federal funding which previously supported nonprofits helping refugees.

“We were afraid,” Perez shared with Streeter. “It was a difficult moment, for sure.”

The Refugee Admissions Program, created in 1980, aimed to help those facing persecution in their home countries. The number of refugees admitted through the program — including Liendo and Perez — has varied year-to-year since it was initiated. “This year, that number will be closer to zero,” the article states.

Importantly, the Times notes "these refugees arrived in the United States with legal status after careful vetting. But they are caught in a moment in American history when the welcome mat for immigrants, legal or not, is threadbare."

Both Liendo and Perez are currently assisted by World Relief, an evangelical Christian group which has supported 29 refugees who have arrived to the city of Eau Claire in the last three months, the article stated.

Amidst federal aid cuts – "World Relief ... had expected each refugee to receive federal support of $1,325 for the first 90 days. Now, there was nothing," the Times reports – the organization has continued to reach out to a local network of volunteers to fill the gaps. (The World Relief staff in the Chippewa Valley was cut from six employees down to two, the article notes.)

Still, volunteers met refugees at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire – including Liendo and Perez – to greet them, drive them to an extended-stay hotel, and receive a ready-made meal, the Times article states. Today, Liendo and Perez continue to work and build community in Eau Claire.

In their native country, Venezuela, Perez was a systems technician and Liendo trained as a physical therapist. Looking to the future, they shared their hopes with the Times:

"Mr. Perez and Ms. Liendo imagine living across the state one day, in Madison, which they love for its mix of Eau Claire's easy charm and bigger buzz. They will own their own home and have a child. As their English improves, better jobs will come, and Ms. Liendo will one day own a physical therapy business.

'Wonderful,' Ms. Liendo said, thinking of such a life. 'It will be wonderful.' "

An ongoing conversation, on and within Eau Claire

Streeter has previously detailed the mixed perspectives on refugee resettlement in Eau Claire, including back in 2024 — naming the conflict between Eau Claire City Council officials, along with misinformation and anti-immigrant sentiments amplified by supporters of the Trump Administration's actions.

One year prior, Volume One had reported – in November 2023 – on Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge's statement naming the City's intent to welcome and embrace new immigrants to the area. Then, her statement was in response to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, who had penned a letter questioning World Relief's aims to settle about 75 refugees in the Eau Claire area that fall. 

Less than one month later, in December 2023, the City of Eau Claire had condemned what Berge called a "xenophobic" billboard which had appeared on the west side of town on Truax Boulevard. It encouraged people to "ask your questions" by contacting both Berge and City Manager Stephanie Hirsch.

In that same month, Volume One reported Wold Relief's local efforts alongside several Chippewa Valley organizations which shared their intent to support Afghan refugees who may arrive in the Chippewa Valley.

In September 2024, Eau Claire's first-ever "Welcoming Week" was held. Events held from Sept. 13-22 aimed to "proclaim welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all," organizers said. 

Moving forward, time – and the community – will tell if a supportive environment will continue in Eau Claire. Those who the Times most recently wrote about seemingly expressed their bright hopes since living here, in the Chippewa Valley: "Eau Claire's new arrivals hold to the belief that this river-crossed Wisconsin town will allow them to thrive."

The New York Times article, "The Last Refugees Let Into the U.S. Wonder if Their New Country Wants Them," was published on Friday, Aug. 15.