A large population of undocumented immigrants in the United States comes from Latin America, however that does not mean this reflects the entire population of undocumented immigrants. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of black immigrants in the United States has risen 71% since 2000.
Nine percent are foreign born in countries like Jamaica, Haiti, and Nigeria resulting in more than 600,000 black undocumented immigrants in the United States. Between the years, 2012-2017 Haitians had the second-highest denial rate (86%) for asylum in; Mexico ranked the highest at 88%.
As a result, organizations like the UndocuBlack Network (UBN) exist to advocate for the voices of thousands of UndocuBlack immigrants living in the U.S by providing access to resources, and helping them thrive. This organization has provided essential resources such as Know Your Rights programs, mental wellness programs like Ayanda, and the Alive and Well Discussion Series.
One important policy for the UndocuBlack Network has been the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF). This policy allows people from Liberia who have been living in the United States since November 20, 2014, the ability to become lawful permanent residents.
This application is very important because a current restriction states that no applications will be accepted past December 20th, 2021. Due to the soon upcoming date, UBN is currently working towards the goal of informing those who are not aware of the available support, that they are eligible for a program that can help stabilize their immigration status.
“The UndocuBlack Network has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts involving LRIF. We have partnered closely with African Communities Together to fight for the creation of LRIF, and now we fight for the successful implementation of the program,” UndocuBlack Network.
A large part of the undocumented experience results in constant challenges to ones’ mental health. UndocuBlack Network is aware of those challenges and has worked towards creating programs to help folks dealing with loneliness and anxiety.
The Alive and Well Discussion series was created by the UndocuBlack Network as a way to create a safe space to create informal and natural conversations regarding mental health and wellness.
The intersecting identities of being undocumented and black in the United States can be very challenging, and UBN sees these challenges as a community struggle, “Caring for the mental health of the community is a collective responsibility,” they believe.
Another program hosted by the UndocuBlack Network is a virtual program called Ayanda hand in hand. This program is a way to bring the members closer together regardless of what region they come from. The coordinator of Ayanda describes it as “a way of combatting that lonely black and undocumented ‘theres no one like me’ experience.”
Ayanda combats that isolation and matches undocublack immigrants with others alike, and encourages them to connect over the phone and build relationships with people that have experienced similar things.
“It is our sincerest hope that our community members will have the opportunity to create long-lasting resourceful relationships, and to develop, engage, and collaborate with a chosen family,” states UndocuBlack.
The conception of Ayanda began in the Black Convening in 2016. This was a three day event of creating workshops, strategizing, intersectional caucus spaces, and healing spaces.Through this event, the UndocuBlack Network solidified their mission on having true immigration rights on the experiences of intersecting identities that can be even more isolating.
In an effort to create mental health resources outside the organization, the UndocuBlack Network created a guide, “The UndocuBlack Guide for Mental Wellness Specialists.” This guide was created with the purpose of providing mental health providers’ insights and guidance on working with undocumented immigrants. Immigration is a multifaceted issue, and it is important for providers to be well informed about the global and political discussions affecting immigrant’s lives.
“We established a Mental Wellness Initiative to underscore and address the trauma that our community experiences. During this time of political crisis, increased targeting, criminalization and deportation of our community members, the UndocuBlack Network is prioritizing our community’s survival and resistance through mental wellness,” UndocuBlack.
#We are home campaign
The UndocuBlack Network recently worked on a multi-racial, ethnic, and generational campaign calling on the Biden administration and congress to end the cruel existence of detention centers and the deportation system in order to protect the thousands of immigrants who call the United States home. They called this campaign #WeAreHome, reflecting on vast communities that face the same situation of being undocumented. “Immigrants are neighbors, friends, coworkers, family members. #WeAreHome.” Under this campaign, UBN specifically urges the Biden administration to dismantle previous policies implemented by the Trump administration, create a new fair and humane system of immigration, and create a roadmap to citizenship.
Flor Chavez Barriga | Oglethorpe UniversityFlor Chavez Barriga is an undergraduate student at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA studying History and Sociology with a focus on research. She was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and grew up in Atlanta surrounded by the rich history of Martin Luther King’s legacy. She previously attended Freedom University where she was given the opportunity to achieve higher education, while also learning about collective action and human rights. Flor is passionate about the south’s reaction to immigration with its restrictive policies and infamous detention centers. She hopes to highlight the voices of communities in the south that have helped combat all the hurdles that continue making immigrant lives harder.