CHAMPAIGN-URBANA — A newly announced travel ban by former President Donald Trump is drawing sharp concern in Central Illinois, where thousands of Congolese immigrants have built lives over the past two decades.
The ban affects travelers from 12 countries, including the Republic of Congo — but the ripple effect has reached families from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who fear their homeland could be next on the list.
“I don’t have fear. I have tears about to come out if they say, today, they ban the country where I came from,” said John Matanda, president of the Champaign County Congolese Community.
Over 6,000 Congolese Call Champaign-Urbana Home
Though only a small portion of East Central Illinois’ Congolese residents hail from the Republic of Congo, the community of over 6,000 people — primarily from the DRC — is growing anxious.
According to Matanda, even routine local services are being avoided. He shared that a recent event organized by Cunningham Township, which aimed to help residents register vehicles and obtain ID cards, saw lower turnout due to fear.
“People were scared even to attend that event because they thought it was a trap,” Matanda said, noting many feared being arrested or detained.
Some even skipped work after hearing about the new immigration directive, as reported by IPM Newsroom.
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Community Anxiety Amid National Policy
The Trump administration has framed the directive as a national security measure — stating the goal is to block individuals who may “harbor hostile attitudes” or pose threats to the U.S.
However, community leaders argue that broad restrictions disproportionately harm immigrant communities that are overwhelmingly law-abiding and focused on building peaceful lives in the U.S.
Matanda emphasized that most Congolese immigrants fled violence and instability to find refuge in the U.S., and are now being unfairly lumped into security crackdowns.
“Bad people can come from anywhere,” he said. “But I don’t think that Congolese are bad. We just want somewhere we can feel safe.”
Has your community been affected by recent federal immigration directives? Share your perspective with us at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
