Kevin Piecuch and Nelvis Ndah after winning his asylum case at the Detroit Immigration Court on November 10, 2021.
by Kevin Piecuch
The roots of conflict in the central African country of Cameroon run deep. We’ve worked with several English-speaking Cameroonians who have fled persecution from the French-speaking majority in their home country. This conflict is directly related to how European powers colonized parts of Africa. When Cameroon regained its independence in the 1960s, it was a country that contained both English-speakers and French-speakers. The two groups never worked well together, and in recent years, the French majority that dominates the government has actively suppressed the English-speaking minority. English-speakers are now frequently persecuted for their language and advocating for fundamental human rights.
This was Nelvis’ story. An English speaker, he marched in support of the rights of his people on the traditional independence day. For this act, he and many others were jailed and tortured. He managed to make it to the United States. When he needed help with his asylum application, Nelvis came to us. We helped him gather the evidence to support his story and prepared him for a hearing. He was granted asylum on November 10 after 18 months of court process and a two-hour trial at Detroit’s Immigration Court. He wept with joy at the outcome.
Thanks to gifts from friends and supporters, SWIRC provides legal representation to scores of refugees and asylum seekers who, like Nelvis, entered this country with little more than the clothes on their back seeking peace, freedom, and a better life.
The Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center provides free and low-cost legal services to those who need them most in the Detroit area, with a focus on recent immigrants and refugees.
We were founded in 2014 by Kevin Piecuch, our Executive Director,
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