Shadi Ismeal arrived in the Treasure Valley nearly 5 years ago after escaping his war-torn homeland.
"I flew from Syria because I am gay and my family tried to kill me, so I ran away from there," said Ismeal.
He said America gave him a new life, new opportunities, and safety, something he fears the new president will take away from other refugees.
"if you see what is happening in Syria or any country that has war like Syria, where are we going to go, what are they going to do?" Said Ismeal. "You're signing them to die. You're telling them 10,000 people die because they have no place to go."
Ismeal said after applying to the refugee program it took him four years to be excepted, four years of intense background checks, psychological exams, and countless interviews, something he said terrorists don't have time for.
"They will not wait for three years or four years to get approved. They will come here on a business visa," said Ismeal.
He said refugees are women, children, and people just like him who are fleeing for their lives.
He said they are not here for handouts, but rather a peaceful nights sleep.
"I believe that everyone that's coming here as a refugee are coming just to live, just to have a real life. I don't know if my house will explode or tomorrow I will see my kids or not. I don't know if i send my son to the store to buy bread if he will be back or not," said Ismeal.
Ismeal said he's extremely proud to be an American, to pay taxes, and to do his part fo his new country, but he's fearful the America he longed to be a part of is changing.
