The Shifting Sands of U.S. Citizenship: A Refugee’s Tale

Dauda Sesay, who fled Sierra Leone's civil war to become a U.S. citizen, feels increasingly insecure amid shifting immigration policies under President Trump. Naturalised citizens like Sesay, once confident in their rights and protections, now worry about deportation and challenges to their citizenship status.

Dauda Sesay, who escaped Sierra Leone's brutal civil war, found hope and security in the United States as a naturalised citizen. But that sense of belonging is waning as President Donald Trump's immigration policies unsettle many, causing fears of deportation even among those who once felt secure in their citizenship status.

Sesay, now an advocate for refugee integration, recalls the reassurance of taking the oath of allegiance, expecting rights and responsibilities in return. However, increasing deportation threats and the potential for revoked citizenship have left him wary, questioning the stability of the protections he once relied upon.

With stories of detainment and citizenship threats rampant, naturalised citizens are now more cautious, impacting their movement and privacy. The past assumptions of security from their naturalised status are now clouded by uncertainty, prompting Sen. Cindy Nava and others to witness an unexpected rise in fear among naturalised communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)