Many people in South Africa, like Arnold Ncube and Christy Chitengu, are stateless due to lack of proper birth documentation, which prevents access to education, healthcare, and legal rights, highlighting a global issue of statelessness that affects millions worldwide.
The article highlights the plight of stateless individuals in the U.S., focusing on Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough's story and the broader crisis worsened by recent immigration policies under the Trump administration, which threaten to create a new class of stateless people vulnerable to detention and deportation without legal protections.
Ward Sakeik, a stateless Palestinian who has lived in the U.S. since childhood, was detained by ICE for five months after a domestic flight during her honeymoon, despite her legal status and recent court orders preventing her deportation. She was released following public and legal pressure, highlighting issues around immigration enforcement and the treatment of stateless migrants.
Siavash Sobhani, a doctor in Northern Virginia, has found himself stateless after attempting to renew his passport. The State Department informed him that he should not have been granted U.S. citizenship at birth due to his father's diplomatic status. Sobhani, who has lived in the United States for over 30 years, is now in limbo, unsure of his legal status and facing numerous uncertainties regarding his career, finances, and personal life. He has applied for permanent residence but fears a lengthy wait and hopes that government officials will intervene to help resolve his case.