Celebrating Juneteenth, signifying “freedom” for African Americans due to the legal abolition of slavery, reminds us that true freedom for African Americans has never been fully realized in the United States. Our country remains in great turmoil and is divided about the state of our Union, and achieving equality for the Black communities. If Black Americans cannot access full freedom, how can we even begin to solve the racism prevalent in our immigration system?
Black lives are often overlooked in immigration spaces due to the anti-Blackness and racism embedded in every system in our society. We’re asking for justice and an immigration system that respects Black lives. Black immigrants are more likely to be detained and deported than any other immigrant group. On avg, Black migrants serve the longest length of time in detention & are 6X more likely to be placed into solitary confinement. #FamiliesBelongTogether and that includes Black families.
This Juneteenth, HRI reflects on the ways our immigration system targets Black immigrants and uplifting the important work that Black-led immigrant organizations are doing to lead the fight for justice. To be clear: anti-Blackness in our immigration system is not a unique feature of of a particular WH administration. Anti-Blackness and racism have pervaded our immigration system throughout its history.
The initial moves that the Biden Administration has made to reverse the Muslim/African bans and reinstate protections for migrants from African countries were the direct result of organizing and advocacy led by Black-immigrant organizations. The most important thing you can do is to resource those organizations with your money and time.
Looking for a place to start? Check out:
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#ImmigrationIsABlackIssue #WelcomeWithDignity #TPS4AfricanCountries #BlackLivesMatter
