News
 

Statelessness doesn’t just mean lacking citizenship—it means growing up without legal recognition, without a passport, and often without access to things like health care, work, or education. Miliyon Ethiopis, a co-founder of United Stateless, a national nonprofit led by stateless people that advocates for legal recognition, protections, and a path to citizenship, knows this firsthand. Born in Ethiopia and targeted for his Eritrean heritage, Ethiopis spent more than 20 years in legal limbo in the US, working 13-hour days managing gas stations while fighting a deportation order that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) only recently agreed to reopen. In June 2024, an immigration judge finally granted him asylum.

Henry Pachnowski is about to vote for the first time at 84-years-old. He was born to Polish parents in Nazi Germany and spent many years living in the United States as a stateless person – not recognized as a citizen of any country. After seven decades of legal limbo, he will finally get a chance to cast his ballot.

Read the full story covered by Austrian national newspaper, Kleine Zeitung, authored by Thomas Götz with photography by Marco Longari. This remarkable journey highlights the resilience and hope of those who are nagivating statelessness for decades.

Henry’s journey to citizenship was made possible by the tireless work of American University’s Washington School of Law Immigrant Justice Clinic, the support of United Stateless, and the power of legal empowerment.

Despite the global #Ibelong campaign to end statelessness by 2024, millions still remain without nationality, including Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough, co-founder of United Stateless. Stateless individuals face legal and social exclusion, lacking basic rights like healthcare and education. Some countries have made strides, but the problem persists, particularly among groups like the Rohingya. United Stateless continues advocating for a path to citizenship in the U.S., where an estimated 200,000 people are stateless.

Daiana Lilo, a dedicated USL leader, continues to experience the immense challenges of being stateless and is now a first-year student at Tulane Law School. Her journey is a powerful testament to resilience and determination, and she is committed to expanding USL’s mission.

Miliyon Ethiopis, co-founder of United Stateless, writes about the urgent need for a legal framework in the U.S. to address the statelessness crisis, highlighting the severe challenges faced by over 200,000 stateless individuals in the country.

In a significant move towards addressing statelessness in the U.S., Congress has passed an appropriations bill with measures to highlight the plight of stateless individuals and improve visa processing for them.