President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration have sent a chill through Texas refugee communities, where those seeking asylum are scared, confused and angry that the years of interviews, paperwork and vetting may have been all for nothing.
Motaz Al Afandi, who quit a successful business and marketing career in Damascus Syria to bring his wife and four kids to Texas, tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI that he would love to go home, but not in the condition it is now, in the grips of a civil war.
"You have the fear of being jailed or killed. You fear your children will be kidnapped or killed,” he says. "Things are very bad."
On twitter this week, President Trump said the reason for the quick action on immigration was needed.
He believed if refugees were given notice, the "bad 'dudes'" would rush to the country.
Al Afandi says that's ridiculous. He spent years being interviewed by the federal government before he was even allowed to move his family here."We get hope that we are going to move and improve ourselves," he explains.
"Things get worse here and you feel you are not welcome."
When he first moved to Texas, Al Afandi did odd jobs like wash dishes while he waited for work papers. He says it was like starting over at square one.
Now, at age 49, he's considering doing it again, this time moving to Canada."I was very hopeful, and now we are thinking about stopping everything and find a new place to go to."
IMAGE; GETTY