Keep America, Mr. Trump, and we will keep Africa Migration

On June 16, the New York Times revealed that US President Donald Trump is considering expanding his travel ban to include up to 36 additional countries, most of which are African – including Baladi, Zimbabwe.

Twelve days ago, Trump had enacted a advertisement preventing citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States. Seven of them – Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan – Africa.

He also imposed partial travel restrictions, instead of a complete ban on individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Citizens from these countries are prevented from moving permanently to the United States or obtaining tourist visas or students.

As promised in the campaign’s path, Trump breaks the immigration.

For the first time in my life, I am now facing the possibility of the exceptional of preventing them from traveling to the United States – a nation that many of my family and friends call home.

For example, my cousin, Dr. Anna Maka, has completed her medical studies and practiced exclusively in the United States. Spencer Matari, a former classmate, lived in Indianapolis for more than two decades and is an American citizen.

Although the political performance and political distortion of immigrants-legal and not documented-INA and Spencer, like millions of others, are considered diligent members in American society.

I know that many in Africa hope to follow their steps, and they feel deep anxious about the increasing barriers that prevent the migration made by Trump.

However, I am not one of them.

Since graduating from Cape Town University in 1997, I have never felt a tendency to travel to America – not to mention living there.

I realize this makes me an anomaly.

I came from a time and place the West was perfect – romantic through the lens recovered from the Apostle Education. This longing was everywhere around me, not only in my community but through the African continent, which was formed by the permanent legacies of the French colonial, Portuguese, Spanish and British. However, it was never mine.

On the Day of International Migrants – December 18, 2024 – Afrobarometer issued a report based on data from 24 African countries. It found that 49 percent of Africans looked at immigration, with the presence of the most important destinations in North America and Europe – although there are a large number of preferred transport within Africa.

Nearly 49 percent was martyred by searching for better job opportunities as a reason for her desire to migrate; 29 percent referred to poverty and economic difficulties.

Many Africans still believe in the “American dream” – or what the European equals – and I do not judge them. Throughout the United States, Africans found success in academic and sports. The American Professional League star DIKEMIBE MUTOMBO, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is an example.

During his life, Motumbo donated $ 15 million of his wealth to establish the Pampa Mary Motombo Hospital in Kinshasa – a 29 million dollar medical center and research that was built on his mother’s anniversary, who died in 1997 after his failure to obtain care in time.

Its tragic story, although it is common, reflects the deep social and economic challenges throughout Africa-the same conditions that continue to push immigration: broken health care systems, firm corruption, unemployment, and poverty. On the other hand, the United States often appears as a shelter.

A report issued by the Pew Research Center on black immigrants in the United States showed that black -born black immigrants were among the latest expatriates: Three quarters came in 2000 or later, when 43 percent reached between 2010 and 2019.

Although the Caribbean Sea is still the upper source area, Africa has motivated a lot of recent growth. Between 2000 and 2019, the number of black African immigrants increased by 246 percent – from about 600,000 to two million. Today, African individuals account for 42 percent of the US-born population-an altitude of 23 percent in 2000.

When I first heard about the prohibition of a Trump visa, I felt deeply contempt. It was impossible not to remember his notorious “COHOL” states from January 11, 2018 – another act of racist stereotypes targeting African countries.

However, when thinking, I came to see his division -insulated policies in a different light.

On January 20, he froze American aid to Africa.

Now, it is close to depriving many visas – from Burkina Faso to Cameron and Ivory Coast.

Unintentionally, Trump pushes the African countries to increase self-reliance-which forces us to face the unparalleled needs of our troubled population.

But it is not alone in the “anti -individual” policy.

The anti -migration speech has been hardens through the American political spectrum. For the Africans, the student visa secures it has become more difficult. In 2023, sub-Saharan African countries had the highest rates of US visa rejection-average 57 percent. With the exception of South Africa, where the rejection sits in about 19 percent, the rate across other regions rises to 61 percent.

These low approvals do not affect me, as I do not want to visit or settle in the United States.

Reving from the status of my feet in the so-called “Land of Freedom” stems from a deep fear: the fear that another victim will become the American police brutality-as the world witnessed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.

But the brutality of the racist police is not the only reason that he chose to move away. There are many reasons for Africa not thinking about stability there.

Many Americans struggle with the same deep problems facing Africans throughout the continent. Nearly 29 million adults in the United States are struggling to reach health care at reasonable prices, according to West Health-Gallup Healthcare-a familiar challenge in Kinshasa as in many parts of America. In 2023, the American Statistical Office stated that 36.8 million Americans live in poverty.

Despite the shiny illusion of Hollywood, the United States is not Utopia.

While people like Anna and Spencer have succeeded there, there is no way to achieve the “American dream” for most Africans. They must find their future within their countries or in other parts of Africa.

A huge shift is needed.

After all, China has made a sweeping economic reform for only 40 years.

With wide metal wealth in Africa and the young educated young people, a similar change can be. The focus on local processing of raw materials may increase industrial growth, create job opportunities and high gross domestic product.

But peace and good governance must come first. Our investment priorities must change. Instead of pouring money in defense and security, African governments must focus on artificial intelligence, health care and scientific research.

As a difference, we must stop defining ourselves through Western aid or verifying health or education.

Whatever happens, I will stay in the motherland.

Keep America, Mr. Trump – and we will keep Africa.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the editorial island.