Growing Mauritanian Immigrant Community in Ohio Faces Deportation Risks
A significant Mauritanian immigrant community has emerged in Lockland, Ohio, near Cincinnati, with around 3,500 people arriving in the past two years. This influx is largely driven by affordable housing and entry-level job opportunities in the area.
Mauritanian asylum cases total more than 19,000 pending in US immigration courts, representing the second-highest African-origin caseload after Senegal. Since January 20, 2017, at least 90 Mauritanian nationals have been deported by ICE.
Many Mauritanians in Ohio belong to the Fulani ethnic group. In Mauritania, the Black population has faced systemic human rights abuses such as segregation and slavery, with an estimated 149,000 people still held in slavery.
One notable community member, Khalidou Sy, a Mauritanian musician, was detained by Mauritanian police for five days after a concert. He arrived in the US in October 2023 with his wife and infant after a perilous journey through Central America and has since applied for asylum.
The typical migration route involves travel through Turkey and Colombia, crossing the dangerous Darién Gap, and filing for asylum at the US-Mexico border in Arizona.
The recent Mauritanian influx has strained housing and public resources in Lockland, leading to overcrowded apartments and concerns regarding water pressure and drainage. Some residents lack work permits and thus are unable to pay local taxes, adding to community challenges.
Efforts to support the community include assistance from the Queen City Bike workshop, which has provided bikes to 400–500 Mauritanian immigrants, helping them with mobility for work and daily life amid enforcement concerns.
Despite community support, deportation fears remain prevalent. For instance, a friend of a local resident, Demba, was deported to Senegal after a mandatory immigration check-in in Cleveland, highlighting the ongoing enforcement risks faced by Mauritanians living in Ohio.
