Court Upholds Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela Parole Program

Washington DC — In a landmark decision, a U.S. District Court upheld the parole program for nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV). This ruling comes at a critical time for Haitians. Haiti is currently grappling with heightened political instability surmounting the resignation of its Prime Minister. The recent political developments in Haiti have plunged the country into further uncertainty, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation. The upholding of the parole program is timely, offering a crucial lifeline to Haitians seeking refuge from the chaos engulfing their homeland.

The parole program, a pivotal part of United States immigration policy, offers a legal pathway for individuals from these countries to seek refuge and stability in the U.S. on humanitarian grounds for two years. During this timeframe, parolees can also apply for work permits.  

"The CHNV parole program serves as a critical lifeline, offering a beacon of hope to those from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela seeking refuge from dire conditions in their home countries," said Taisha Saintil, Senior Policy Analyst at UndocuBlack Network. "Considering that the State of Texas, accompanied by 20 other States, attempted to block the parole program for nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela but not for Ukraine, their motivation reflects issues of anti-Blackness and inequity in immigration policies. Judge Tipton's holding, states that because Texas did not establish that it had suffered harm due to the CHNV Parole Program and, therefore did not have standing to bring its claims, is a victory to millions of sponsors who are attempting to protect either their loved ones or strangers they wish to support in dire times. Amid the current political instability in my home country, Haiti, which has warranted the closure of schools and hospitals, the parole program represents a crucial avenue for Haitians seeking safety and stability."

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Senate Must Reject Anti-Black Immigration Provisions in “Genocide Joe’s” Supplemental Funding Package

FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE 

Feb 5, 2024

Media Contact: bethelhem@undocublack.org

Washington D.C – Under the cloak of a quiet Sunday evening, a group of lawmakers finally revealed the product of months of secret negotiations: an immigration bill that would put the lives of thousands, if not millions,  of asylum seekers and other immigrants at risk. If signed into law, the stringent anti-immigrant provisions of this bill will significantly hinder asylum seekers' ability to find safety and protection, and will disproportionately impact Black immigrants. As proposed, this bill increases the legal standard for asylum seekers, making it significantly more challenging for those fleeing persecution in countries, where they also often leave behind proof of harm. This bill also sets the number of asylum seekers arriving at the port of entry to an arbitrary number per day, allowing a Title 42-like policy  to be triggered, when the maximum number is met.  This bill further hinders the ability of asylum seekers to receive counsel and language access in expedited-removal-like proceedings. It is equally shameful that Biden and Senate leadership negotiated to triple ICE's budget; much of which will go towards disproportionately incarcerating Black migrants. The UndocuBlack Network is enraged at the provisions in the bill. Our communities demand that all elected officials who put out empty words of solidarity with Black communities this month match their words with action and "vote no" on this bill. 

Director of Policy at UndocuBlack Network, Haddy Gassama, said, "As an organization that advocates for the dignity and rights of Black migrants, we are acutely sensitive to the dissonance of witnessing both the President and Members of Congress, who purport to value our communities, actively harming us. In the past few years, under this administration, we've seen the continuation of Title 42, where there were mass deportations of Black migrants, many of whom were pregnant women and babies. This year, on the eve of Black History Month, the Biden Administration deported several Black Mauritanians back to a country that practices slavery. Today, as we process and mourn the death of a Senegalese migrant in a detention center we have consistently been calling for the closure of due to its history of harm and negligence, another attack on our communities emerges in the form of this supplemental bill text. This bill serves as a testament to the Biden administration and Senate leadership's complicity in fanning the flames of White nationalism. Black asylum seekers fleeing persecution often bear the heaviest brunt of anti-immigrant policies, namely by unfounded presumptions of fraud by immigration officials during asylum interviews or hearings and being detained and deported at a higher rate than other migrants. Any policy that raises the standards of an already discriminatory system will inevitably harm Black migrants."

Executive Director at UndocuBlack Network, Patrice Lawrence, said: “The Senate at Genocide Joe’s behest has barreled through with the presentation of a bill that guts asylum, punishes those who seek asylum with incarceration and puts a quota on how many people are entitled to protection.  The paradox that this bill goes alongside the demands for more money for killing Palestinians is a gross reminder that as a practice, America is choosing to value only certain people as people and bar or bomb the rest. 

Surreptitiously, February, which is also Black History Month, has been laden with anti-Black decisions from the Biden-Harris Administration since the beginning of their Administration in 2021. One may recall the UndocuBlack breaking news, “ICE Deports Black Immigrants On First Day Of Black History Month,” on February 1, 2021. We strongly caution against and condemn a yes vote on this supplemental bill, which furthers a nasty trend by this White House.” Congress must reject this bill and any similar ones that would prevent asylum seekers from exercising not only their legal rights but also their human rights to seek safety.”

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EVERY MONTH IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT THE UNDOCUBLACK NETWORK: WHERE WE FIGHT FOR BLACK LIBERATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 1, 2024

Media Contact: Bethelhem@undocublack.org 

WASHINGTON D.C. – The UndocuBlack Network fiercely and unapologetically stands for Black liberation in all its forms. We bear witness to the glaring parallels between the historic liberation struggles for Black folks in the U.S. and the urgent challenges and multifaceted discriminations faced by Black undocumented migrants today. The echoes of systemic injustice persist — fueled by harmful, xenophobic, and white supremacist policies. This year, as we celebrate and honor the legacies of our ancestors, we continue to stand on the shoulders of Black revolutionaries to continue the sacred work of Black liberation. 

President Biden's recent stunt to embrace a white-supremacist approach to immigration policy is an unsurprising setback in the ongoing struggle for Black liberty. The harmful policies, such as the ones currently being negotiated and have been reported to include expedited removals and a plan to "shut down the border," will harm Black asylum seekers and perpetuate the violent cycle of disproportionately detaining and deporting them. This move, similar to his predecessor's multiple attacks on the right to asylum, inflicts harm by implementing policies that disproportionately target and adversely impact Black immigrant communities. 

This Black History Month, we demand the Biden Administration and policymakers to reject harmful policies and to affirm their position in safeguarding the dignity and rights of Black communities, irrespective of their country of origin and immigration status. We acknowledge this country's brutal legacy of state-sanctioned physical and systemic violence against Black communities and the blatant replication of past struggles. 

Through our community organizing, unwavering commitment to healing justice, protecting our overall wellness, dedication to shifting harmful narratives about our people, building strategic alliances, and commitment to advocating for more just policies, we remain dedicated to a non-negotiable fight for the sanctity of Black lives. 

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Expedited Removals to Expedite a Genocide: UndocuBlack Condemns Biden’s Proposal of Fast-track Deportations as Negotiations for Supplemental Funding Continue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 12, 2023

Washington DC- Reports indicate that the Biden Administration is negotiating with Congressional Republicans to pawn the rights of immigrants to fund a genocide, war, and continued border militarization. Critical aspects of Biden's proposal include nationwide expedited removals and dismantling the right to seek asylum in the U.S. through a transit ban and other changes to asylum law.

UndocuBlack and many other advocacy groups have long spoken out against the harms of a transit ban and other proposed changes to asylum policy. It has been reported that the negotiations include measures that will heavily criminalize asylum seekers, and our organization has long been sounding the alarm about how Black immigrants will also be bearing the brunt of these practices. Further, the supplemental funding bill would add $7.8 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two agencies with a long-standing history of racism and little to no accountability toward our communities. 

Haddy Gassema, Undocublack Network’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: 

 “ Whether here in the U.S., on the southern border, or in Gaza, our struggles for liberation are connected. The current administration has already done so much harm to immigrant communities and has the blood of Palestinians on its hands. This latest ploy to get the right to asylum and deport people with no due process to fund the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is uncontainable. Instead of attaching harmful immigration provisions to a funding request, we urge the Administration and Members of Congress to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to lean into more humane and dignified immigration policies that support asylum seekers and immigrant communities in the interior of the country.”

The recent addition of expedited removal, a legal term of art that describes the process of deporting an individual without giving them access to an attorney or hearing before an immigration judge, to Biden's tranche of harmful immigration policies bears a chilling resemblance to President Trump's second term immigration proposal. Expedited removals are currently limited to use at or near the border; Biden's recent proposal would expand its use to the country's interior for up to two years after a personal arrival into the U.S.  

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UndocuBlack Network Urges Lawmakers to Safeguard Asylum Protections Amid Supplemental Funding Negotiations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 29, 2023

Contact: bethelhem T. Negash, bethelhem@undocublack.org

WASHINGTON D.C – As a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators continue negotiations on President Biden's supplemental funding request this week, the UndocuBlack Network urges lawmakers to safeguard critical asylum protections. As discussions on funding for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel are underway, lawmakers are taking this as an opportunity to destroy the right to asylum permanently. 

The negotiations include the resumption of border wall construction, which would increase the surveillance and long-standing monitoring and criminalization of Black asylum seekers. Another dangerous provision of the ongoing negotiations is the potential implementation of the "safe third country" rule, which would render migrants who transited through another country before getting to the U.S. border, ineligible for asylum. 

Patrice Lawrence, Executive Director of UndocuBlack Network said “ It is disgraceful to have to implore lawmakers to do the bare minimum act of protecting the right to asylum. Taking actions to safeguard and fortify asylum protections for those fleeing harm and violence should be glaringly obvious. Doing so is inherently humane and simply put, the right thing to do. Repeatedly, lawmakers recklessly jeopardize the lives of migrants seeking refuge and asylum by introducing policies that disproportionately harm our communities.This is especially true for Black migrants, who undoubtedly already carry the heaviest brunt of a racist immigration enforcement system. There are no safe “third countries'' for Black asylum seekers. A border wall and increased surveillance will only perpetuate this nation’s long history of criminalizing Black and Brown people. Instead of leaning into the anti-Black xenophobic policies at the center of the current negotiations,  lawmakers should demonstrate unwavering commitment to human decency and unequivocally prioritize the well-being of asylum seekers and stop using our communities’ safety as their bargaining chip.”

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UndocuBlack Network Urges the Biden Administration to call for a Ceasefire in Gaza instead of Funding the Genocide of Palestinian People

Oct 25, 2023

Contact: ubncomms@UndocuBlack.org

Washington D.C – UndocuBlack stands in unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine, especially those in the occupied territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as they face  brutal and fatal attacks during their ongoing struggle for justice, freedom, and the right to self-determination. Yesterday, we sent a letter to the Congressional Black Caucus urging them to sign on to the Ceasefire Resolution (H.Res 786) in the House of Representatives co-led by Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib.  As an organization dedicated to the support and empowerment of Black currently and formerly undocumented people, we recognize oppression in its various forms and call for the Israeli government and its abettors including the U.S. government to end their attacks on the Palestinian territories and its people. Our collective liberation is tied to and depends on the liberation of the Palestinian people. 

Historically, the U.S. military has been an active agent of destabilization and violence in our home countries in the same way that it is currently funding and supporting the settler state of Israel in its ethnic cleansing of Gaza and occupied Palestine. The current and ongoing violence in Gaza has resulted in an alarming loss of life, marking one of the highest death tolls in Gaza’s history. The dire situation has left many Palestinians without access to basic necessities such as food, water, and essential medicines and healthcare. No human should endure such violence or be deprived of their fundamental human rights. 

What we are witnessing in Israel’s most recent set of war crimes and violations of international law, is inextricably linked to a long history of colonial powers, displacing and removing people from their land. Generations of Palestinians have been forced from their homes, experiencing profound trauma as they battle the emotional toll of being uprooted from their land and communities. An apartheid regime, marked by discriminatory policies coupled with systemic oppression has perpetuated a cycle of suffering and instability, leaving millions of  people dead or in a state of uncertainty and vulnerability. 

Our liberation as a community of Black immigrants is directly linked to the liberation of all marginalized people. It is not lost on us that the Biden administration's recent supplemental funding request of $106 billion to aid Israel, includes $13.6 billion in border funding. Along with potentially aiding in the killing of thousands of Palestinians, Biden’s supplemental funding package would expand immigrant detention and deportation, and fund programs that facilitate further surveillance of our communities.

The UndocuBlack Network follows the rich tradition of our Black liberationist ancestors such as Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X in saying that the continuous attacks on Palestine must stop. As advocates working within the United States, we are bearing witness to an increase of hate crime, islamophobia, and antisemitism correlated with the events abroad. We have learned from freedom fighters that the root of these dehumanizing ideologies is the seed of white supremacy and they serve as a tool of division. 

It is crucial that anyone who believes in justice and freedom prioritize the demands of the people of Gaza and works towards preventing further deaths, displacement and suffering. We urgently call on the Biden administration to take immediate action to support a ceasefire in Palestine by:

• Answering the stated demands in  H.Res 786, co-led by Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib which include :

1. Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity and internet to Gaza, in addition to the safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff  

2. Free all civilian hostages, especially children and elderly

3. Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protecting them along with the civilians and staff inside them at all times

4. Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart northern Gaza

5. Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care

• Withdrawing tax dollars from supporting the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the West Bank

We must foster a path of peace for all individuals in the region. UndocuBlack calls for the humanity of oppressed people to be honored and respected. 

For additional resources visit bit.ly/StopGazaGenocide.

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UndocuBlack Network Responds to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Extension and Redesignation for Cameroon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 6, 2023 

Contact: Bethelhem T. Negash  bethelhem@undocublack.org

 Washington D.C., October 6, 2023 – The UndocuBlack Network celebrates the announcement of the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon. This decision is a testament to the dedication of Cameroonian community members and advocates who have long highlighted the ongoing armed conflicts and socio-political tensions in Cameroon. The country conditions in Cameroon have left thousands of dead, 4.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and over 1 million people internally displaced. Deporting anyone to Cameroon would be an amoral and cruel act. It is not lost on us that our communities fought tirelessly to convince the Biden-Harris administration to make the choice of designating TPS for Cameroon. 

 Taisha Saintil, Senior Policy Analyst and Founding Member of Cameroon Advocacy Network, said “We welcome this much-needed announcement and rejoice with our Cameroonian siblings. We are grateful for all the partner organizations and allies whom we worked alongside to get this victory. We will continue to work with and follow the leadership of the Cameroonian community to ensure that their needs are heard and prioritized. As we celebrate this designation, we also remember other members of our community in the U.S. who need the humanitarian protection and relief of TPS.” 

 Nationals from Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Nigeria are all experiencing country conditions that make it unsafe for their respective nationals to be returned. The UndocuBlack Network will continue to request that the Biden-Harris administration keep its promises to Black immigrant communities by providing protection for those who would face harm if returned to their home countries. Anything less is a conscious choice to lean into anti-Blackness by prioritizing deportation flights over the lives of Black immigrants.   

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Two Years After the Del Rio Abuses: No Accountability or Improvements in the Treatment of Black Migrants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 19, 2023

Media Contact: Bethelhem T. Negash  bethelhem@undocublack.org

Washington D.C – Two years following the viral image of Border Patrol agents seemingly whipping Haitian migrants, the fight for a just and equitable immigration system continues. Today, we reflect on the visceral pain of that singular image, and the myriad of human rights violations that would follow for several more days. The harm caused at Del Rio was directed at Haitian asylum seekers, yet its ramifications extended to the Black community at large. Two years, a sham investigation and multiple lawsuits later, the experience of Black asylum seekers at the southern border has not changed. The lack of dignity and care in the treatment of Black migrants continues. 

Taisha Santil, Senior Policy Analyst at UndocuBlack, said:  

“When I arrived in Del Rio exactly two years ago today, my very first task was to reunite a newborn baby that was airlifted in a helicopter with his parents. This family was one of many with newborns that were denied basic necessities such as shelter and medical care. This incident marks one of the very first times the general public of  the U.S. truly saw the outright anti-Blackness embedded in the immigration system. The viral picture of the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent chasing a Haitian man on a horse is a symbol of the continued dehumanization of Black people. After they suffered and bore witness to CBP abuse in Del Rio, these asylum seekers were subjected to the U.S. government’s continued mistreatment and anti-Black prejudice that summarily expelled them without any due process to Haiti. I look forward to the day that the U.S. will provide equitable opportunities to all asylum seekers, not humiliation.”   

This year, we have  seen the Bident administration prioritize the deportation of Haitians, Mauritanians, and many other Black asylum seekers. We’ve witnessed and mourned the preventable death of an eight-year-old Black child in CBP custody. We’ve called out the lack of language access and any semblance of due process for detained Black migrants. The Biden administration's failure to recognize the human rights of Black migrants is nothing new, but it does not have to be this way. The Administration can save itself from a legacy of anti-Blackness, by choosing compassion and welcoming rather than deterrence. The UndocuBlack Network demands that the Administration radically reinvent how they welcome Black immigrants. Instead of humiliation, detention, and deportation, the U.S. must build an equitable humanitarian protection system that welcomes those seeking refuge, regardless of race, ethnicity, background and country of origin. Seeking asylum is a human right and it’s critical for the U.S. to adhere to international and human rights laws, and exclude all racial bias and prejudice in the process.

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