Former Mauritanians are now subject to deportation by the current presidential administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
IRA – USA supports the asylum applications of all persecuted Mauritanians. These individuals have fled from state-sponsored racial violence, slavery, and arbitrary deprivation of citizenship.
IRA – USA joins the Ohio Immigrant Alliance and the immigration attorneys in opposing these deportations.
In-depth reporting on the deportations is here.
Deportation from the United States to Mauritania violates the human rights of those seeking asylum. Serious harm will likely befall anyone deported to this country.
The former Mauritanians who live in the USA do not have current Mauritanian citizenship. Thus the USA will throw these individuals into a situation of ripe for abuse. Non-citizens in Mauritania cannot work, cannot travel in the country, cannot obtain a passport to leave the country, cannot attend school and cannot register any children they might have as Mauritanian citizens.
Mauritania has the highest percentage of contemporary slavery in the world. Anyone deported back to Mauritania is susceptible to extreme abuse and subjugation.
The state practices racist policies toward the Black Africans — Pular, Wolof, Soninke and Bambara — who have lived on their lands for centuries. Black former Mauritanians will be subject to state racism if deported to Mauritania.
Finally, Mauritania is an extremely conservative Islamic Republic. Any former Mauritania who does not adhere to a strict and deeply conservative Islam is open to accusation of blasphemy. If convicted of blasphemy, the death sentence is imposed. The new blasphemy law allows no appeal for any conviction.
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