Saturday January 25, 2025
by Katelyn Vue

Fardowsa Abdi Aden spent most of her life in an Ethiopian refugee camp until arriving in Minnesota last Friday to reunite with her sister and mother.

Neima Mohamed Yusuf, 2, cries as her aunt Shun Adan greets her with kisses shortly after arriving in Minnesota on January 17, 2025. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal

Fardowsa Abdi Aden rushed past the automatic doors at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and wrapped her sister, Amina Aden, in a hug. 

The joyous family reunion caused a minor traffic jam near the international arrival doors. Some passersby walked around the large group while others stopped to watch. 

Fardowsa, 35, and Amina, 37, grew up together in an Ethiopian refugee camp, but had been apart for more than a decade, living on different continents separated by an ocean.

“I am so happy that I almost feel like crying,” Fardowsa said through an interpreter.  

Fardowsa, her husband and their eight children arrived at the airport last Friday evening, just days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Amina and several of the women’s family members who live in Minnesota greeted Fardowsa’s family with red, white and blue balloons and a sign that read “SooDahawoo,” which means “welcome” in Somali. Family members excitedly took pictures and videos. 

“I am so happy to see her and living together as a family, sticking together,” Amina said through an interpreter.

Fardowsa and her family, refugees of the Somali Civil War, traveled for four days so they could resettle in Minnesota. The reunion was a culmination of their immigration journey, a yearslong effort that was derailed years ago under Trump’s first presidency, and that they feared would stall again when he was re-elected in November. 

“This happened to me last time in 2016, but thank God this isn’t happening to us again,” said Mohamed Yusuf Hassan, Fardowsa’s husband. 

About 20 people from the International Institute of Minnesota also welcomed Fardowsa’s family at the airport. The nonprofit serves refugees and immigrants, and helped resettle Fardowsa’s family. 

Michelle Eberhard, the institute’s director of refugee services, called on volunteers and staff to show up to make the reunion special since Fardowsa’s family were some of the last refugees to resettle in Minnesota before Trump was sworn into office Monday. 

“I just thought it would be really special to really welcome the family and help them know we’re really happy they’re here in Minnesota,” Eberhard said at the airport. 

Fardowsa, Amina and their family walked out into the cold Minnesota night about 6 p.m., relieved their struggle to reunite was finally over. Just days later, Trump signed several executive orders making sweeping changes to immigration policies. He also temporarily suspended the nation’s refugee resettlement program earlier this week, stranding thousands of refugees across the world who fled war and prosecution, and who were already approved for resettlement in the United States, according to the Associated Press. 

“I’m very happy that I was able to make it before the closure happened,” Mohamed said. “I’m praying that the president will have mercy on people being trapped right now.” 

A family divided

Amina and Fardowsa were born in Somalia. Their family fled during the civil war after the government collapsed in 1991. As young children, the sisters relocated to the Kebribeyah refugee camp in Ethiopia with their mother, Fadumo Isse, 57. Their father died in 1991. 

More than 16,000 refugees live at the refugee camp; the majority have been there for almost 30 years, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. It’s the longest operating refugee camp in Ethiopia, and has poor access to water, health care and shelter. 

Fardowsa lived at the camp until arriving in Minnesota. Her children, ranging in age from 3 to 18, were born in the camp.

When Amina lost her eyesight as a child due to an illness, Fardowsa became her caretaker in the refugee camp. Fardowsa guided Amina through day-to-day activities, taking her outside, buying her things and helping her walk around their house.  

Fardowsa Abdi Aden, 35, embraces her aunt Shun Adan, on the baggage claim floor as they are reunited at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on January 17, 2025. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal

Fadumo, Amina and Fardowsa began the refugee resettlement process in 2010, applying to leave together as a family. But only Amina and Fadumo were approved for refugee status because Fardowsa was married and started a family. They resettled in New York in 2011, living there for about three months before moving to Minnesota. 

“I felt like I lost my eyes,” Amina said of her early life in the United States without her sister.

The family stayed in touch throughout the years via phone calls. Waiting for her application to be approved, Fardowsa said, was “very difficult, very long.” 

Fadumo longed to have both of her daughters with her. In Fardowsa’s absence, she sometimes called on nieces and nephews in Minnesota to help her with tasks because leg pain limits her mobility.

The only other time Amina and Fadumo saw Fardowsa after they immigrated to the United States 14 years ago was when they visited her in Ethiopia for five months starting in September 2023.

Fardowsa’s application to immigrate came close to being approved in 2016, she said, however, it stalled because Trump ordered a ban on immigration and travel from several Muslim-majority countries during his first presidency.

The ban ended when Joe Biden took office in 2021 and signed an executive order reversing some of Trump’s policies, allowing Fardowsa’s application to move forward.

When Trump was re-elected, Amina grew worried about the likelihood of reuniting with her sister. Fardowsa said she was worried that Trump would reinstate the Muslim ban and stop her from reuniting with her family a second time.   

“But now, I no longer have to worry,” Amina said. “My family came before he completely took over.”

Neima Mohamed Yusuf, 2, cries as her family greets relatives shortly after arriving in Minnesota on January 17, 2025. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal

A dream come true

Fardowsa arrived in Minnesota last Friday with all of her family’s belongings packed into eight suitcases. She only had one thought in mind: Find her sister and mother.

About 10 family members at the airport moved the reunion to Amina and Fadumo’s small apartment in south Minneapolis, where they shared a meal and continued catching up. 

Fuzzy, colorful blankets were laid out on the floor in the living room. A small mattress leaned against the wall. The children ran around, playing with toys on the floor.

Seeing her children and grandchildren together in one place felt like a dream to Fadumo, who saw Fardowsa and her family for the first time last Friday when they arrived at the apartment. Fadumo was unable to attend the airport reunion because of health issues. She hugged and kissed each of her grandchildren. 

Muhad Mohamed, 7, shows his grandmother Fadumo Isse, 57, a new toy after arriving in Minneapolis for the first time on January 17, 2025. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal

“I feel like I am dreaming,” Fadumo said through a translator. “I feel like I’m flying in the air with happiness.”

Fardowsa’s family stayed with her sister and mother for the first few nights before moving into their own apartment yesterday with help from the International Institute, which found them housing and furnished the unit.

Fardowsa smiled as she explored the apartment on Thursday with her husband, mother and a family friend. 

Institute volunteers spent the afternoon setting up the apartment with furniture, groceries and toys. 

Her family plans to bring their personal belongings and move in the next day, she said. 

“I cannot put into words the happiness that I feel, and I haven’t seen much but the little I’ve seen is amazing,” Fardowsa said a week earlier of her first impression of Minnesota. 

Fardowsa said she’s looking forward to obtaining a job and seeing her children receive a better education. She expressed sorrow for other refugee families, knowing that Trump promises to crack down on immigration to the United States.

“I’m praying to God that he [Trump] doesn’t stop them,” she said, “or nothing stops them.”

The newly reunited family celebrates with balloons and flowers at MSP Airport on January 17, 2025. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal

Atra Mohamed translated interviews for this article.