A charity rents out Trump's boyhood home for refugees

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Europe

While US President Donald Trump keeps pushing forward his controversial travel ban, which keeps many refugees out, a charity invited them in – by renting out Trump’s childhood home to refugees and sharing their personal stories.

During the past weekend, aid agency Oxfam invited a group of refugees to stay at Trump’s childhood home in Queens, New York, where he lived up until age 4.

The childhood home of US President Donald Trump. /Reuters Photo

The five-bedroom, brick-fronted house, which has a fireplace, a sun room and a paneled study, was purchased by an unidentified buyer for 2.14 million US dollars at an auction in March and is now up for rent on Airbnb.

Four refugees from Somalia, Vietnam and Syria gathered to call on Trump and other world leaders to do more to support refugees as they meet in New York for the UN General Assembly this week.

Refugees from Somalia, Vietnam and Syria at US President Donald Trump's childhood home. /Reuters Photo

“Lives are hanging in the balance while we wait to see if President Trump and other world leaders will fulfill their duty to uphold the rights of refugees and other displaced people,” said Shannon Scribner, director of Oxfam America’s humanitarian department.

At the front door of the Tudor-style house, a mat emblazoned with the words “Refugees Welcome” received the guests.

Abdi Iftin, fleeing conflict from his home back in Somalia, said he felt lucky to have been able to a build a new life in the United States.

Refugee Abdi Iftin from Somalia, one of the invitees to spend the weekend at US President Donald Trump's childhood home in Queens, New York. /Reuters Photo

“I had to leave my home and family behind, but here I can work hard and help provide for them,” he told Oxfam.

Another guest Uyen Nguyen fled Vietnam when she was 10 years old. It took years for her to recover from the experience being trapped in the refugee camp and losing most of her family members.

“The US finally began to feel like home,” she told CNN.

Through the initiative, the charity hoped to give a face to an issue that is too often politicized with myths, lies and fears.

US President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday. /Reuters Photo

“What makes America great is our diversity of experiences, ideas, talents, and the opportunity for anyone to succeed,” Scribner said in a statement.

The world is grappling with the worst migration crisis in decades, with more than 65 million people driven from their homes by war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere, according to the UN.

The US Supreme Court is to hold a key hearing on the constitutionality of Trump’s controversial ban in October.

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Source(s): Reuters