NEW YORK (AP) — After fleeing civil war in Sierra Leone and spending nearly a decade in a refugee camp, Dauda Sesay arrived in the U.S. over 15 years ago with the hope of building a new life. Unaware he could eventually become a U.S. citizen, he followed the rules and integrated into society, eager for the protection that citizenship promised.
“When I raised my hand and took the oath of allegiance, I believed in the promise of belonging,” said Sesay, now 44, reflecting on the bond he felt with his adopted country as he committed to upholding his responsibilities, including voting.
However, the current political climate, especially under recent immigration policies, has eroded that sense of security for Sesay and many naturalized citizens. Fears about increased deportations and efforts to redefine who can claim America as home are creating an atmosphere of anxiety among those who once felt secure.
As immigration enforcement intensifies, naturalized citizens are hesitant even to travel within the country. Reports of citizens being wrongfully detained by immigration officials contribute to their fears, prompting some, like Sesay, to carry passports as a precaution despite having state-issued identification.
The political discourse around citizenship, including recent moves to denaturalize individuals based on perceived threats or criminality, has only deepened these concerns. State Senator Cindy Nava from New Mexico, herself an undocumented immigrant turned citizen, voices similar worries, noting the newfound fear among citizens she once saw confident in their status.
The history of citizenship in America has shown vast complexities, often entwined with racial and migration policies. Early laws restricted citizenship to 'free white persons,' with significant hurdles in subsequent decades for non-white immigrants. Laws would later evolve, but the foundations of who could claim rights and responsibilities as citizens have fluctuated throughout America’s history.
Experts observe that citizenship has often been wielded as a political tool, granting or stripping rights based on the whims of those in power. For Sesay, the current shift feels betray his original commitment to the country, leaving him and many like him questioning their place in the America they once embraced.
“Honestly,” Sesay concludes, “that is not the America I believed in when I put my hand over my heart.”
