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As part of an Ida B. Wells fellowship with Type Investigations, Gulf States Newsroom reporter Bobbi-Jeanne Misick spent more than a year investigating the experiences of Cameroonian asylum seekers, fleeing a brutal conflict and seeking safety in the U.S. At least 200 were sent to Mississippi and Louisiana, where, our investigation finds, immigration judges were much less likely to side with asylum seekers than in other parts of the country.

This investigation digs into what happened to Cameroonians who went through the thorny regional immigration system. Some say they were met with abuse, lengthy detention stays and threats of deportation in Louisiana and Mississippi. The story weaves documents and data analysis with personal narratives of Cameroonian asylum seekers and their evolving quest for safety.

2022 IRE Award Finalist, Small Audio category