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African Refugees See Racial Bias as US Welcomes Ukrainians

Published

3 years ago

April 1, 2022

By Derrick Bangura – Wilfred Tebah doesn’t begrudge the U.S. for swiftly granting humanitarian protections to Ukrainians escaping Russia’s devastating invasion of their homeland.

But the 27-year-old, who fled Cameroon during its ongoing conflict, can’t help but wonder what would happen if the millions fleeing that Eastern Europe nation were a different hue.
As the U.S. prepares to welcome tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war, the country continues to deport scores of African and Caribbean refugees back to unstable and violent homelands where they’ve faced rape, torture, arbitrary arrest and other abuses.

“They do not care about a Black man,” the Columbus, Ohio, resident said, referring to U.S. politicians. “The difference is really clear. They know what is happening over there, and they have decided to close their eyes and ears.”

Tebah’s concerns echo protests against the swift expulsions of Haitian refugees crossing the border this summer without a chance to seek asylum, not to mention the frosty reception African and Middle Eastern refugees have faced in western Europe compared with how those nations have enthusiastically embraced displaced Ukrainians.

In March, when President Joe Biden made a series of announcements welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, granting Temporary Protected Status to another 30,000 already in the U.S. and halting Ukrainian deportations, two Democratic lawmakers seized on the moment to call for similar humanitarian considerations for Haitians.

“There is every reason to extend the same level of compassion,” U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts, and Mondaire Jones, of New York, wrote to the administration, noting more than 20,000 Haitians have been deported despite continued instability after the assassination of Haiti’s president and a powerful earthquake this summer.

Cameroonian advocates have similarly ratcheted up their calls for humanitarian relief, protesting in front of the Washington residence of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the offices of leading members of Congress this month.

Their calls come as hundreds of thousands in Cameroon have been displaced in recent years by the country’s civil war between its French-speaking government and English-speaking separatists, attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram and other regional conflicts.

The advocacy group Human Rights Watch, in a February report, found many Cameroonians deported from the U.S. suffered persecution and human rights violations upon returning there.

Tebah, who is a leading member of the Cameroon American Council, an advocacy group organizing protests this month, said that’s a fate he hopes to avoid.

Hailing from the country’s English-speaking northwest, he said he was branded a separatist and apprehended by the government because of his activism as a college student. Tebah said he managed to escape, as many Cameroonians have, by flying to Latin America, trekking overland to the U.S.-Mexico border and petitioning for asylum in 2019.

“I will be held in prison, tortured and even killed if I am deported,” he said. “I’m very scared. As a human, my life matters too.”

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TPS and other humanitarian programs, declined to respond to the complaints of racism in American immigration policy. It also declined to say whether it was weighing granting TPS to Cameroonians or other African nationals, saying in a written statement only that it will “continue to monitor conditions in various countries.”

The agency noted, however, that it has recently issued TPS designations for Haiti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan — all African or Caribbean nations — as well as to more than 75,000 Afghans living in the U.S. after the Taliban takeover of that Central Asian nation. Haitians are among the largest and longest-tenured beneficiaries of TPS, with more than 40,000 currently on the status.

Other TPS countries include Burma, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, and the majority of the nearly 320,000 immigrants with Temporary Protected Status hail from El Salvador.

Lisa Parisio, who helped launch Catholics Against Racism in Immigration, argues the program could easily help protect millions more refugees fleeing danger but has historically been underused and over-politicized.

TPS, which provides a work permit and staves off deportation for up to 18 months, doesn’t have limits for how many countries or people can be placed on it, said Parisio, who is the advocacy director for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

Yet former President Donald Trump, in his broader efforts to restrict immigration, pared down TPS, allowing designations for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa to expire.

Although programs like TPS provide critical protections for vulnerable refugees, they can also leave many in legal limbo for years without providing a pathway to citizenship, said Karla Morales, a 24-year-old from El Salvador who has been on TPS nearly her whole life.

“It’s absurd to consider 20 years in this country temporary,” the University of Massachusetts Boston nursing student said. “We need validation that the work we’ve put in is appreciated and that our lives have value.”

At least in the case of Ukraine, Biden appears motivated by broader foreign policy goals in Europe, rather than racial bias, suggests María Cristina García, a history professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, focused on refugees and immigrants.

But Tom Wong, founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego, said the racial disparities couldn’t be clearer.

“The U.S. has responded without hesitation by extending humanitarian protections to predominately white and European refugees,” he said. “All the while, predominately people of color from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia continue to languish.”

Besides Cameroon, immigrant advocates also argue that Congo and Ethiopia should qualify for humanitarian relief because of their ongoing conflicts, as should Mauritania, since slavery is still practiced there.

And they complain Ukrainian asylum seekers are being exempted from asylum limits meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while

those from other nations are being turned away.

“Black pain and Black suffering do not get the same attention,” says Sylvie Bello, founder of the D.C.-based Cameroon American Council. “The same anti-Blackness that permeates American life also permeates American immigration policy.”

Vera Arnot, a Ukrainian in Boston who is considering seeking TPS, says she didn’t know much about the special status until the war started and wasn’t aware of the concerns from immigrants of color. But the Berklee College of Music sophomore hopes the relief can be extended to other deserving nations.

Arnot says TPS could help her seek an off-campus job with better pay so she doesn’t have to rely on her family’s support, as most in Ukraine have lost their jobs due to the war.

“Ukrainians as a people aren’t used to relying on others,” she said. “We want to work. We don’t want welfare.”

For Tebah, who is staying with relatives in Ohio, TPS would make it easier for him to open a bank account, get a driver’s license and seek better employment while he awaits a decision on his asylum case.

“We’ll continue to beg, to plead,” Tebah said. “We are in danger. I want to emphasize it. And only TPS for Cameroon will help us be taken out of that danger. It is very necessary.”

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North Hails Tinubu’s Marching Order to End Banditry by 2025

Published

2 hours ago

February 7, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Stakeholders in northern Nigeria have applauded President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the military to end banditry and insecurity by the end of 2025, describing it as a necessary step toward restoring peace and stability.

The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, who announced the directive recently, assured that the military would sustain its aggressive operations against criminal elements.

“The bandits are now on the run, but the military will not rest until we end this thing. The president has given us marching orders to end insecurity in every part of our country by the end of this year.

“The Chief of Defence Staff and the National Security Adviser are working day and night to actualize that target. As you have seen, we are putting pressure on all the theatre operations,” Badaru said.

Citizens across the North-East and North-West welcomed the development, stating that insecurity remains a major obstacle to progress, particularly in food security and economic activities.

A Borno-based farmer, Abubakar Ibrahim, said the presidential order gave hope for a return to normalcy. He stressed the need for a massive military push to clear insurgents from the Lake Chad region, which is crucial for all-year-round farming.

“We are happy a deadline of December is given. There’s always a need for a timetable to get things done. Rehabilitation, reconstruction, and resettlement programmes are ongoing in Borno, but we still face challenges from remnants of terrorists that need to be cleared,” Ibrahim said.

In Adamawa, former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, also commended the presidential order, emphasizing its potential to restore economic activities.

“It is indeed very comforting to hear the Commander-in-Chief issue a direct order to the troops. Flushing out bandits has multiple benefits, including the restoration of productive activities such as farming and trading. That is the real import of the President’s directives.

“While expressing total support for this bold decision, it is also necessary to advise that the President should equally give another directive for the non-kinetic component of the fight against banditry and insurgency. A robust public enlightenment campaign should accompany this renewed onslaught,” Sajoh said.

In Zamfara, residents of Shinkafi Local Government, including Salisu Tunga and Aminu Bello, praised recent military gains but urged for intensified operations.

“Bandits are still harassing some communities in Shinkafi, raising the need for more intense military operations to complete the job. Up to now, travellers need military escort in areas like Dansadau, Magami, Dangulbi, Zurmi, Kauran Namoda, Shinkafi, Moriki, Maradun, and Maru,” Tunga said.

He further lamented that some communities in Tsafe, Zurmi, and Bukkuyum LGAs were still being forced to pay levies to bandits, stressing the need for decisive action.

In Kebbi, the Deputy Governor, Sen. Umar Tafida, confirmed that bandits were infiltrating from neighbouring states and Niger Republic but assured that security measures were in place to counter the threats.

The Director in charge of Security at the Kebbi Cabinet Office, Alhaji AbdulRahman Usman, highlighted significant progress in securing the state.

“They used to attack Argungu, Augie, and Arewa Local Government Areas but have been chased away and dealt with,” Usman said.

In Sokoto, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Ahmad Aliyu, Col. Ahmad Usman (Rtd), described the presidential order as timely, noting that military operations were yielding results.

“Many terrorist enclaves were identified and destroyed, with several bandits neutralized. Hundreds of kidnapped victims are also being rescued in the ongoing operations,” he said.

With the military intensifying its offensive, residents remain hopeful that the December deadline will bring an end to the scourge of banditry and pave the way for lasting peace.

Headlines

Oyebanji Warns Ekiti Pilgrims Against Tarnishing Nigeria’s Image in Israel

Published

3 hours ago

February 7, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has urged 17 Christian pilgrims traveling to Israel to uphold Nigeria’s reputation and avoid any actions that could bring embarrassment to the country.

Speaking during a prayer service held in Ado-Ekiti ahead of their departure, Oyebanji, represented by Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye, emphasized the importance of spiritual rebirth in shaping a nation’s development through attitudinal change and character rebranding.

He encouraged the pilgrims to remain dedicated to the spiritual exercise, ensuring that the benefits reflect in their personal lives and society at large.

“We desire a society that is corruption-free, where people can imbibe the fear of God in their operations and daily lives,” Oyebanji stated.

“I therefore charge you to pray not only for yourselves, but for our dear state, nation, and the world at large. We live in times that require our collective prayer and unity more than ever.

“I plead that you do not engage in any act that can jeopardize the intentions of this pilgrimage and put our nation into unwarranted international embarrassment,” he added.

The governor reminded the pilgrims that the journey was not just physical but spiritual, urging them to make the necessary sacrifices and embrace piety to maximize the benefits of their participation.

In his exhortation, the Government House Chaplain, Segun Awolumate, described spiritual voyages as a source of blessings, emphasizing that true transformation would only come through holiness.

“I expect you to be holier and believe more in God after this journey. You have to be fully revived. Your prayers too must bring revival to Ekiti and Nigeria.

“The land you are visiting is not ordinary; it is filled with the spirit and covenant of God. Make good use of this opportunity,” Awolumate said.

Also present at the service were the Secretary of the Ekiti State Christians’ Pilgrimage Welfare Board, Sunkanmi Adu, as well as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Emmanuel Aribasoye, among others.

Headlines

Fintiri pledges more digital, self-employment opportunities for youths

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa has pledged to continue to provide world class training opportunities for youth, civil servants and entrepreneurs to make them competitive in the global digital economy.

Fintiri said this at the graduation of 50 youths on digital skills in Yola on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the beneficiaries was presented with a starter pack.

Fintiri, who was represented by his Special Adviser on ICT and e-economy, Hammanjam Adamu, said the initiative aimed to empower youth to be self-reliant and employers of labour.

“We have embarked on an ambitious journey to position Adamawa State as a digital hub, fostering innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

“The State Government remains committed to supporting your growth with initiatives like the ICT Technical Talent Program.

“We aim to train 100,000 youth in Adamawa State in various technical and digital skills over the next few years,” he said.

Fintiri encouraged the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge acquired to stay connected and to continue learning for more success.

Hammanjumba Gatugel, Commissioner for Ministry Entrepreneurship Development, said the participants were drawn across 21 Local Government Areas.

They said they were under gone intensive training on Digital Marketing, Graphic Design, Website Development and Modern workplace Digital Communication Courses.

“The training has provided the beneficiaries with Digital skills to enable them compete with their counter-part globally, also with the knowledge make informed decision in the Digital world,” he said.

According to him, the programme will enhance their employability and readiness to open wide range of employment opportunities including media, advertisement, marketing and design.

The commissioner also advised the beneficiaries against selling their starter kits so as not to defeat the aim of the training.

Arabo Ishaq, Chief Executive Officer, Datarose represented by Abdulmalik Adamu, a resource person, appreciated Adamawa government for the opportunity.

He said, the beneficiaries could now develop website among others skills acquired.

“We have a beneficiary that is about to get married and designed his invitation letters with the skills he acquired he acquired during the training,” he said.

Iya Bamalam who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries appreciated the opportunity and assured to apply the skills effectively.