As the U.S. presidential election nears, African asylum seekers and economic migrants are concerned about their future, which may hinge on the election results.
Dr. Yves Kaduli, a 38-year-old asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo, voiced his aspirations for safety in a recent BBC interview, stating, “We deserve safety.”
Dr. Kaduli fled eastern DR Congo in 2014 after being kidnapped and tortured amid decades of conflict.
As a doctor at Cifunzi Hospital, he witnessed brutal violence, including the rape of women.
His activism against the government’s failure to protect civilians led to his abduction by armed men during a night shift.
After escaping captivity, Dr. Kaduli embarked on a grueling five-year journey through multiple countries before arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2019.
Following a month spent in dire conditions, he successfully crossed into the U.S. but was detained for 15 months.
Now living in Virginia as a medical technician, he awaits the outcome of his asylum case.
Dr. Kaduli is one of many African migrants risking everything to reach the U.S., a trend that has surged recently.
The number of African migrants recorded at the U.S.-Mexico border increased from about 13,000 in 2022 to around 58,000 in 2023.
Many young Senegalese, for instance, are opting for this route to avoid the perilous Mediterranean journey to Europe.
The current election has heightened fears among asylum seekers that public sentiment could turn against them.
As Dr. Kaduli noted, “We see our politicians criminalizing our status and demonizing our community.”
With rising deportations and tightening immigration policies, advocates like Nils Kinuani are calling for more legal protections for African migrants, emphasizing the need for humanitarian parole status to provide temporary refuge for those fleeing crises.
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