03/14/2016 Tungol Law America Now, Immigration, Reform "Black and undocumented: ‘I didn’t know anybody else like me’"

As the debate on immigration heats up, some are hoping to inject a new perspective into the conversation: that of those who are both black and undocumented. The Southern California Public Radio reports on undocumented Black immigrants.  Latinos make up the majority of the undocumented population.  However, according to estimates from the Migration Policy Institute, nearly 600,000 people are also from Caribbean and African countries. And the overall black immigrant community is growing rapidly. As the debate on immigration heats up, some are hoping to inject a new perspective into the conversation: that of those who are both black and undocumented.

Most estimates do not make a distinction of who is a Latino of African descent, also known as Afro-Latinos. Many of those who are undocumented and Black say their experience adds an important dimension to the discussion – especially at a time when the country is grappling with a renewed discussion about race.

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