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BAJI to White House: Conditions for Black migrants are worse in 2024 than they were in 2022

 

BAJI to White House: Conditions for Black migrants are worse in 2024 than they were in 2022

Monday, October 7, 2024

Washington, D.C. — The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), a leading national organization advocating for the rights of Black immigrants and African Americans, is calling on the Biden administration to take immediate action to address the ongoing racial discrimination and human rights violations impacting Black migrants and migrants of color.

At a recent White House meeting regarding its obligations under the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), BAJI’s Executive Director, Nana Gyamfi, outlined the Biden administration’s failure to meet its human rights obligations, particularly regarding the treatment of Black immigrants. Gyamfi was accompanied by BAJI’s Director of Policy & Advocacy, Ronald Claude, who was in attendance. Gyamfi highlighted that, despite the administration’s rhetoric on racial equity, the situation for Black migrants has worsened. 

Gyamfi said, “The Biden administration has used its racial equity executive order as a substitute for actually resolving racial discrimination in U.S. immigration policies and practices. There is clearly no room in the ‘inn of racial equity’ for Black immigrants.”

Ongoing Crisis for Black Migrants
Since taking office in 2021, the Biden administration has been criticized for its handling of Black migrants, including the violent treatment of Haitian asylum seekers at the U.S. border. BAJI draws a direct link between this dehumanizing rhetoric and the increasingly hostile immigration policies targeting Black migrants.

Gyamfi further stated, “Immigration is one of two areas where CERD continues to find the U.S. insufficient in meeting its human rights obligations. Conditions for our communities are worse in 2024 than they were in 2022. There is no justice when Black migrants continue to face disproportionate criminalization, detention, and deportation.”

“Ukraine is the Floor”—Equal Treatment for All Migrants
In addressing the disparity in how migrants are treated, Gyamfi emphasized the need for equal consideration and support for Black and marginalized migrants. She remarked, “What’s good for Ukrainian migrants seeking safety is good for all of us. Ukraine is the floor, and we must ensure that the same protections and humanitarian considerations given to Ukrainian migrants are extended to Black migrants and other marginalized communities.”

Policy Recommendations
BAJI has put forth the following recommendations to address the ongoing discrimination against Black immigrants and migrants of color:

  1. Systematic Data Collection: The Biden administration must mandate that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) systematically collect and publicly report race and ethnicity data to expose and address racial bias in immigration enforcement.

  2. Shift Immigration Policy from Enforcement to Support: The U.S. must flip its immigration framework from enforcement, detention, and deportation to one that prioritizes providing social services and support to marginalized communities.

  3. End the Police-to-Deportation Pipeline: Decades-old legislation, including the 1994 Crime Bill and the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IRAIRA), continue to contribute to the disproportionate deportation of Black migrants. In 2022, 82% of those deported were Black, up from 76% in prior years. BAJI calls for an end to this pipeline.

  4. Prioritize Asylum for Black and Marginalized Migrants: The U.S. must remove barriers and expedite asylum cases for Black migrants and other marginalized people. 

  5. Provide Transparency on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): DHS must reveal the impact of AI tools, including the CBP One app, on Black migrants and migrants of color at U.S. borders. Transparency is critical to ensuring that these technologies do not perpetuate racial discrimination.

We cannot continue to ignore the systemic racism that targets Black migrants and other marginalized groups. The Biden administration has the power to create real, meaningful change, and the time to act is now — because justice for Black migrants is justice for all.

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BAJI is a racial justice and immigrant rights organization with offices in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Oakland, Houston, and DC and members nationwide. Founded in 2006, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) is a national organization that fights for the rights of Black immigrants and African Americans. Through organizing, legal and policy advocacy, civic engagement, and narrative-building, BAJI seeks to improve the material conditions of Diasporic communities by advancing racial justice and migrant rights.