USCMA Hosts Nicaragua Webinar

On May 9, 2022, the U.S. Catholic Mission Association hosted an online seminar for people interested in addressing the needs of the 222, former Nicaraguan citizens who were stripped of their citizenship and deported to the United States, which granted humanitarian parole status. 

Staff members of the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) provided context for the current political situation and the legal and practical challenges members of the 222 are facing as they build new lives. All the “222s” who arrived at Dulles Airport on February 9, 2023, were psychologically tortured by the dictatorship, and 80% were physically tortured. Because they had been treated so badly by government officials and people in uniform, CVT provided training for the Border Patrol officers who greeted the 222 so the officers could build the skills they needed to treat the newly deported stateless people with appropriate sensitivity to their trauma. 

The historic decision by the State Department to designate humanitarian parole status saved the lives of the 222, but it does not come with protections and benefits provided to other migrants with refugee status. As a result, they left their country with only the clothes on their backs and have no legal, housing or food resources here.

A CVT staff member who is a member of the Nicaraguan diaspora explained the political timeline of the conflict between the dictatorship and many factions of civil society, including students, the elderly, feminists, and campesinos. She also shared certain aspects of her personal story. Another member of the diaspora shared about her family’s current experience living in Nicaragua, the difficulty of traveling, and the ongoing political and economic exodus. 

Leonce Byimana, CVT Director of Clinical Services, (lbyimana@cvt.org) outlined three key needs of the 222: pro bono legal immigration services, funds for basics like housing, food, and medical needs, and sponsors for their family reunification. 

One model of accompaniment was explained by Ashley Klick of Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Washington, DC), which has welcomed migrants for six years. The parish reached out to CVT and is accompanying members of the 222 who settled in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area. Accompaniment includes not only providing access to practical things like dentists, ophthalmologists, and Wi-Fi, but also community dinners and personal relationships.

The online seminar ended with an informative discussion and a resolution to share more resources and offer more opportunities for people who are concerned about this issue to connect. Those interested in connecting with this emerging network of care can reach out to Don McCrabb (dmccrabb@uscatholicmission.org).