US Election Could Change the Future for African Asylum Seekers

For many African asylum seekers and migrants, the upcoming U.S. presidential election could have a huge impact on their lives and futures in America.

“We deserve safety,” says Dr. Yves Kaduli, a 38-year-old asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 2014, Dr. Kaduli left eastern DRC—a region facing nearly 30 years of conflict. As a doctor in Kalonge, he witnessed terrible acts of violence against civilians, including the rape of women.

Dr. Kaduli says he joined protests against these crimes, alongside others like Nobel Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege. He spoke out against then-President Joseph Kabila’s government for not protecting citizens.

This made him a target, and he was kidnapped, tortured, and held overnight. After escaping, he knew he had to leave. His journey took five years, moving through Rwanda, Cuba, Ecuador, and Nicaragua before reaching the U.S.-Mexico border in 2019.

After a month living in poor conditions at the border, he was detained in the U.S. for 15 months. He now lives in Virginia, working as a medical technician, and is waiting for a decision on his asylum case.

Dr. Kaduli is one of many African migrants making the long journey to the U.S.-Mexico border, and their numbers are rising quickly. In 2022, about 13,000 African migrants arrived at the border, which jumped to 58,000 by 2023. Many of them are from countries like Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea.

Some young people from Senegal choose the U.S. as a safer option than the dangerous journey to Europe. Many use a visa-friendly route through Nicaragua. With high levels of poverty in Senegal, migrating to the U.S. seems like their best chance for a better life. However, in September 2023, over 140 Senegalese migrants were sent back home after crossing into the U.S.

Kathleen Bush-Joseph, from the Migration Policy Institute, explains that African migrants face tough challenges with the U.S. asylum system. “Judges and attorneys often don’t know enough about the situations in some African countries,” she says.

For some migrants, returning home can be dangerous. A report from Human Rights Watch in 2022 revealed that Cameroonian asylum seekers faced torture and imprisonment after being sent back from the U.S.

The election has created even more fear among African asylum seekers. “People are afraid. There are worries that refugee programs could be cut,” says Nils Kinuani from African Communities Together. Many feel it’s unfair that Ukrainian refugees quickly received legal protection, while African refugees have very limited options to stay legally in the U.S.

Both parties in the U.S. have made immigration a big issue in their campaigns. Republican candidate Donald Trump has promised large-scale deportations, while Democratic candidate Kamala Harris supports a bill to speed up asylum processing.

The current administration has already enforced stricter rules, allowing quicker deportations when border numbers are high, which has reduced crossings.

For Dr. Kaduli, who couldn’t visit home when his father passed away, the wait is hard. He hopes to one day reunite with his son and mother in the U.S. “I believe that America will give me the chance to work for myself, help my family, and contribute to this country,” he says.

But with both hope and doubt, Dr. Kaduli’s future now depends on this election and America’s plans for immigration.