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By Guy Page
Supporters of Nafiou Lamidi, a 35-year-old African who crossed the southern border, sought refugee status, and moved to the Northeast Kingdom, will hold a rally for him in St. Johnsbury Saturday, May 31, 19 days after he was detained during what they say was a routine Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check-in May 12 in St. Albans.
Lamidi has been incarcerated since then. The Northeast Kingdom Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (NEKASAN) says it has not yet been given any explanation for his continued incarceration, according to a May 12 statement.
NEKASAN says that on the morning of May 12, Lamidi arrived at the ICE office in St. Albans, accompanied by three friends from who planned to show him around Burlington after the appointment. According to his supporters, Lamidi had never had the chance to properly explore the area, and the outing was intended as a welcome reprieve from the stress of navigating the asylum process.
But Lamidi never rejoined his friends.
As NEKASAN members waited outside, they were informed only that “things have changed.” Lamidi, it turns out, was handcuffed upon entering the building and taken into custody. He was later transferred to the Northwest State Correctional Facility, and more recently to the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire.
NEKASAN claims no information has been shared with his attorney.
According to a published report in the Caledonian-Record, Lamidi crossed the southern border and then sought status as a refugee. He is from Africa, but NEKASAN does not say which country nor anything about his refugee claim .
However, NEKASAN, a 501 C-3 not for profit, says on its website: ”We have accepted as guests three single men from Uganda, one single man each from Togo, Iran and Sudan, families from Cuba and Benin, and two women and one man from Honduras. Asylum seekers have fled persecution in their own countries by government sanctioned violence, or gang violence due to tribal membership, religious affiliation, political activity, or sexual orientation. They have undertaken long, arduous journeys to reach our border. All of our guests from Africa and the Middle East have walked for roughly two months from South America to our Mexican border and passed through the treacherous, 66-mile Darien Gap in Panama.”
It is unclear whether Lamidi crossed the U.S. border out of legitimate concern for persecution or gang violence, or whether (like many asylum seekers) he is merely seeking a better life in the United States.
“This is not how our immigration system is supposed to work,” said a NEKASAN spokesperson. “Nafiou has not been accused of any crime. He complied fully with the law, showed up for his scheduled check-in, and instead of leaving with friends, he vanished into the system.”
Since arriving in Vermont in January after being released from immigration detention in Texas, Lamidi has become a valued member of the St. Johnsbury community, NEKASAN says. Supporters describe him as generous, eager to learn English, and someone who always volunteers to help others. He hopes to eventually reunite with his wife and three children, who remain abroad.
“This is a man with no criminal background who did everything right—and now he’s in a federal prison, treated like a criminal, and no one can tell us why,” said another NEKASAN member. “Is this really how we want our country to treat people who come here seeking safety?”
The rally will take place Saturday, May 31 at 10 AM at the Bandstand Park next to the Caledonia County Courthouse in St. Johnsbury. Organizers are encouraging residents to show up in solidarity with Lamidi and to call for justice not just for him, but for all asylum seekers facing arbitrary detention.
NEKASAN does not allege illegal behavior by ICE. But it maintains our government shouldn’t treat refugee seekers in this way.
“Now is the time for our community to stand up,” said one organizer. “We cannot allow silence and secrecy to become the norm. Nafiou needs us—and we need to make sure no one else disappears like this again.”
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Categories: Border
Who paid for this journey?
Why did he bypass all other countries?
What are the rules for seeking asylum?
Why did he chose Vermont?
Who is funding NEKASAN?
When was NEKASAN founded and by whom?
Why would any man leave his wife and children in a dangerous place?
For the most part I love VDC reporting, this article seems like a NEKASAN promotional piece to me. Dig a bit deeper and I bet the whole story on everyone involved falls apart. It doesn’t make sense.
Who becomes a valuable community member in 6 months? Please…even two years, what could he possibly have done?
Ditto to all your questions and comments. It sounds like a clear case of the judge denying his asylum claim and initiating deportation proceedings. It is very hard to actually be granted asylum bc of the proof required that one is being actively persecuted by one’s government or some other truly extenuating circumstance. Living in a poor country is not a sufficient reason to be granted asylum. That NEK group who is supporting all these asylum seekers should know that and not act surprised. People can plead asylum all they want but very few will actually get it. I am sure they are just ticked off bc instead of letting asylum seekers remain in the US for years and years and years awaiting a court hearing (i.e. the Biden years) they are now actually being processed and sent home.
Perhaps this article is exposing yet another astro turf organization in Vermont. Please, dig deeper.
So looked on the website, this reeks of astro turf, ngo funded organizations. Here below are their own words. Free ride, free housing, free medical….but not for Vermonters!!!! Only for people who aren’t legally here in Vermont! And they are looking to bring in many more people, when we don’t have enough housing for our own people!!!!
Below their words. Suggested to wear hip waders while reading.
MISSION STATEMENT
To provide a supportive community in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont for the basic physical, emotional, vocational, legal and financial needs of asylum seekers and refugees until they become financially independent and moving toward a safe and stable future.
HISTORY AND PROCESS
Established in 2020, the Northeast Kingdom Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (NEKASAN) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is part of a Vermont/New Hampshire Asylum Seekers Network and a US/Canada Border Collaborative.
We are asked to receive asylum seekers who are being held in detention centers or homeless shelters on the border with Mexico or in major cities across the US. Asylum seekers have been sent from the border and bussed with no warning or preparation as pawns in a political conflict over immigration. We are in collaboration with other Asylum Seekers Assistance Networks in Vermont and New Hampshire (ASANS) to provide housing and employment opportunities. We have accepted as guests three single men from Uganda, one single man each from Togo, Iran and Sudan, families from Cuba and Benin, and two women and one man from Honduras. Asylum seekers have fled persecution in their own countries by government sanctioned violence, or gang violence due to tribal membership, religious affiliation, political activity, or sexual orientation. They have undertaken long, arduous journeys to reach our border. All of our guests from Africa and the Middle East have walked for roughly two months from South America to our Mexican border and passed through the treacherous, 66-mile Darien Gap in Panama (see Articles of Interest). During the trek one guest was pregnant and another’s pregnant girlfriend died.
Once here, guests stay with host families or in rental apartments, and receive monthly stipends. We help them obtain Medicaid and connect them with primary care. We also connect them with immigration lawyers who often offer their services pro bono but may require a $5-6000 retainer. The US government requires asylum seekers to write a document establishing the “credible fear” that caused them to flee their home countries. If they are unable to write this in English, we hire a translator. While they wait for permission to work in this country, our volunteers, when necessary, tutor them in English and translate for them at appointments. Volunteers also socialize, play sports, and ride bikes with them, bring them to entertainment events, and practice-drive with them in preparation for their road test to obtain a driver’s license. One guest was given a car, and another car was purchased for all guests to use. We have paid for courses in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning as well as Dental Assistant, and we are about to fund a course in dental hygiene for a guest who was a dentist in Sudan. Some of our former guests have relocated to find work and some remaining guests with work permits are working locally and have become financially independent.
We look forward to welcoming more guests.
Hip waders weren’t even enough- maybe a hazmat suit! Ok, asylum seekers are not “pawns” in our system nor are they guests. They are not unwitting victims. They knowingly paid money to make their way to the southern border in order to jump on the asylum bandwagon. Where are all those freebies for Vermonters? How about we get some property tax relief and free job training and cars?!
Who pays for the impact on our school systems due to all of the different languages that requires additional personnel? Take a look at the Burlington area. It is mind boggling, and I never read, or hear, about that. I hope I am wrong, but_____I don’t think so.
“Since arriving in Vermont in 2004 after fleeing Massachusetts, Anderson has become a valued member of the Northeast Kingdom community. Supporters describe her as generous (e.g., a good tipper), eager to speak French, and someone who writes poetry about Vermont out of respect for the place and people.” All on her own dime. You can support this refugee by purchasing books; see links on the website, or visit my book store: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mist99child/
Bit dramatic on the editorial….”fleeing” Massachusetts?
In some ways I can agree, others will be of the opinion, that all the “fleeing” from Massachusetts has ruined our state, and that’s from U.S. Citizens no less, aka flat landers. And now we have to import more from nations illegally?
Yeah, bit dramatic.