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African Immigrants Feel Targeted by ICE, Despite Following Rules

July 2, 2025

African migrant leaders are criticizing the Trump administration for what they describe as racially biased detention and deportation policies specifically targeting their communities. During a June 25 press conference, representatives from various African migrant organizations highlighted concerns about the new travel ban imposed on June 9 affecting primarily African and Middle Eastern countries, with plans to expand to 16 more nations. Leaders like Dauda Sesay from African Communities Together argued that despite African migrants representing only 1.

Who is affected

  • African migrants and immigrants in the United States
  • People from banned countries including Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, and countries with heightened restrictions like Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo
  • Migrants from Cameroon who will lose Temporary Protected Status in August 2023
  • Individuals like Gratien Milandou-Wamba, a Congolese asylum seeker who was detained despite having a work permit and pending asylum claim
  • Families of those facing deportation

What action is being taken

  • African migrant organization leaders are speaking out at press conferences against immigration policies
  • ICE is detaining African migrants on their way to immigration hearings
  • The Trump Administration is implementing travel bans on primarily African countries
  • The administration is planning to expand the travel ban to 16 more countries
  • African Communities Together and other organizations are advocating for immigrant rights and highlighting data discrepancies in policy justifications

Why it matters

  • The policies are described as racially biased, targeting African immigrants despite their small representation in the U.S. population
  • Data used to justify the travel ban doesn't account for the proportional differences in visitor numbers between countries
  • Deportations may send people back to dangerous situations where they "could be killed"
  • The enforcement creates fear in communities, causing people to hide
  • The situation highlights concerns about racial profiling, particularly in the South
  • Current policies may separate families and disrupt lives of those who have established themselves in the U.S.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint