A Nigerian woman living with albinism has expressed devastation after her asylum claim in the United States was rejected, leading to her deportation to Uganda. Ladidi Shaibu, 35, had sought refuge in the US three years ago, following her two siblings who had successfully secured asylum due to the severe dangers faced by people with albinism in Nigeria.
Shaibu's experience growing up in rural Nigeria was marked by constant fear and stigma. She and her siblings, all with albinism, were targeted due to harmful superstitions linking their body parts to wealth and good fortune. Her sister endured two attacks, and her brother was kidnapped as a child, highlighting the pervasive threat of mutilation and ritualistic killings faced by those with the genetic condition in the region.
Despite presenting evidence of these threats, including her siblings' successful asylum cases and expert testimony, Shaibu's claim was denied in March. She was informed she would be sent to Uganda, a country the US Department of Homeland Security considers 'safe'. However, Shaibu and her lawyer, Ravindar Arora, argue that Uganda presents similar dangers for people with albinism, citing instances of attacks for witchcraft rituals. The Ugandan government's own 2020-25 action plan for persons with albinism acknowledges they are a 'vulnerable group that faces multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and human rights violations', including 'cutting of body parts, amputation of limbs, torture, and murder'.
Arora, who also represented Shaibu's siblings, described the decision as 'ridiculous', suggesting it should have been a straightforward case for asylum. He attributes the denial to the impact of the Trump administration's stringent immigration policies and asylum cooperative agreements (ACAs). These agreements allow the US to transfer asylum seekers to third countries without adjudicating their claims domestically, even if the individual has no connection to that nation. Critics argue these policies undermine the asylum process and put vulnerable individuals at risk.
Ikponwosa Ero, director of advocacy at Under the Same Sun, a charity supporting people with albinism, noted a significant decline in successful asylum claims for individuals with albinism globally. She stated that success rates, previously over 90%, have plummeted in recent years, coinciding with a rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and inward-looking political approaches in the US and Europe. This shift suggests a broader international impact on the protection of vulnerable groups seeking asylum.