Millions of native Africans have become American citizens, with many Nigerian-Americans now calling Houston their home (Photo Credit: Mikhail Nilov).
When the topic of immigration and citizenship comes up, especially in Texas, many people often think of immigrants from Latin countries.
But what about African migrants, especially those of color?
How difficult is it for them to become citizens, and who is there to help them navigate their journey to naturalization?
Organizations like the African Public Affairs Committee (AfriPAC) make it their mission to make the journey to American citizenship easier for those who migrate from the continent of Africa.
In an interview posted to her personal YouTube page, AfriPAC founder Nneka Achapu said, “It’s been a great journey organizing the African Public Affairs Committee. Since 2015, our main objective is to bring the African Diaspora into the field of politics and political life.”
The goal of AfriPAC is “through education and advocacy…to empower the African Diaspora community by bringing constituencies together and ensuring the African Diaspora is able to fully participate in our democracy, while keeping leaders back home accountable.”
On March 1, AfriPAC hosted an event entitled “Empowering African & Black Immigrant Communities Naturalization & Citizenship Workshop” at the Alief Community Center.
Before the event, AfriPAC released a statement that read, “The African Public Affairs Committee (AfriPAC) is committed to empowering our communities by expanding access to U.S. citizenship. The Naturalization & Citizenship Workshop will provide eligible permanent residents with the tools and support needed to navigate the naturalization process. In addition, a powerful panel discussion will highlight the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of Black immigrants—including African, Caribbean, and AfroLatinX communities—alongside African Americans in Houston, Texas.
“This event fosters a space for authentic storytelling, advocacy, and meaningful dialogue on the realities of navigating rights, identity, and belonging in the U.S. Together, we’ll explore the intersections of race and immigration, uplift diverse voices, and build collective strength for change.
“Connect with members of the African community in Houston and celebrate our rich heritage together. Get important resources for naturalization and voter registration, and other important community resources…”
When it comes to voting, AfriPAC engages in civic education and voter outreach.
The organization supports issue-based campaigns that benefit those who have immigrated from African countries.
Furthermore, AfriPAC educates political leaders on the issues most important to the African immigrant community, advocating for policies that benefit the community at large.
Many organizations have encouraged new American citizens from Africa to participate in the political process (Photo Credit: Mikhail Nilov).
One of the biggest issues facing African immigrants is what some see as President Donald Trump targeting immigrants of color for deportation, while welcoming White South Africans with open arms.
President Trump stated that White South African farmers have experienced oppression by the Black majority, with their lands being seized by the government and allocated to Black farmers.
Many critics of Trump have spoken out about the racist past of South Africa, where the White minority subjugated the Black majority under a practice of segregation known as apartheid.
During the days of apartheid, White South Africans stole land from the Black community, and the current South African government is exploring ways to right a historical wrong.
Many of Trump’s biggest detractors have labeled his policy of welcoming White immigrants, while attempting to deport Black and Brown immigrants, as racist.
According to the organization Immigration ARC, “As a whole, immigration law in the United States as a well-defined concept in and of itself did not exist prior to the 1870s (though there did exist legislation governing who was considered a citizen within the United States, which was limited to ‘free White persons…of good character’), and from the very beginning it was a racist endeavor. The first legislative acts of its kind came about after a series of ‘Chinese Exclusion’ cases. These were lawsuits that were brought against the government for its policies of trying to keep Chinese people out of America. This is when we see the Naturalization Act of 1870 which, for the first time, created a system of controls for the naturalization process (the act of becoming a U.S. citizen) which extended the naturalization process to ‘aliens of African nativity and to persons of African descent,’ i.e. former slaves and descendants of slaves, but also created a system that kept people out of the United States and imposed penalties for those engaging in ‘fraudulent practices’ in trying to obtain citizenship…
“In 1921 and 1924, Congress enacted several laws that enforced ‘national origin’ quotas on U.S. immigration (which remained in effect until 1965). The legislation exclusively excluded African immigrants from entering the country as it limited immigration from any given country to a total percentage of the number of people from that country to live in the U.S. The number went from 3% in 1921 to 2% in 1924. In effect, the quota for immigrants from Africa (excluding Egypt) totaled to 1100.”
With the Immigration Act of 1952, America established a preference for immigration.
First, the country began favoring immigrants with “special skills.”
Noticeably, professional athletes from overseas have less trouble immigrating legally.
Next, the country looks at “average” immigrants.
Thirdly, America looks at refugees.
The Immigration Act of 1952 gave presidents the authority to limit or exclude classes of immigrants if they felt those immigrants were a detriment to the country.
Many critics feel like the current presidential administration is using its powers to exclude immigrants because of the color of their skin, while welcoming others because of their skin color.
Despite the current national political climate, many native Africans are proud to call Houston home, especially those originally from Nigeria.
When asked in her YouTube interview why she thinks so many Nigerians have flocked to Houston as opposed to other cities, Achapu said, “I think it’s the tropical weather. The tropical weather and the food. Those are tw things that Nigerians love.”
For more information about becoming an American citizen, visit the links below.
becomeacitizentoday.com
https://houston.naturalizenow.org/resources/
https://usahello.org/citizenship/prepare/
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