African Immigrants Fight Back Against Housing Instability and ICE Terror

African Communities Together (ACT), a nonprofit led by and for African immigrants, is at the frontline of a fierce battle against housing instability and systemic neglect. The fight began in 2020 when a private equity firm bought an apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia, triggering a wave of eviction filings and slashed maintenance that tore apart tight-knit immigrant communities. ACT’s members called for help, sparking a grassroots tenant organizing campaign that uncovered the harsh realities of housing injustice many African immigrants face — realities often ignored by mainstream housing justice movements.

Sosseh Prom of ACT explains that this struggle is not just about rent or repairs. It’s about survival under an administration weaponizing ICE to terrorize immigrant families, making them vulnerable to displacement and silencing their voices. “These are people living paycheck to paycheck, joining tenant associations, and fighting landlords while facing constant threats of deportation,” Prom says. “They deserve softness. They deserve safety. They deserve to live without preparing for violence or displacement.”

ACT’s approach centers on human connection and collective power. They reject one-size-fits-all solutions, recognizing the unique fears and needs within their community. Some tenants are ready to take landlords to court, while others cannot risk government attention due to immigration enforcement. ACT supports all by tailoring strategies that hold landlords accountable without endangering tenants.

This organizing work draws inspiration from historic mutual aid and survival programs, like the Black Panthers’ free breakfast and health clinics, and African “Sou Sou” savings systems. These community-rooted efforts build trust, foster healing, and create resilience against systems designed to keep marginalized communities impoverished and divided.

Prom’s advice to frontline organizers is clear: consistency beats perfection, and conflict should be confronted with empathy and understanding. Building trust through sustained presence in the community is the foundation for collective liberation.

The story of African Communities Together is a stark reminder that housing justice is inseparable from immigrant rights and racial equity. As private equity firms and hostile immigration policies continue to fracture communities, grassroots movements like ACT’s are vital to holding power accountable and demanding a world where everyone can live with dignity and safety.