COLUMBUS, OHIO — Senegalese immigrant rights advocate and legal researcher Demba Babaly Ndiath has published a new book examining the experiences of West African migrants who cross the U.S.–Mexico border in search of safety and opportunity.
Titled From Welcome to Deportation: A Story of West African Immigrants Who Crossed the U.S.-Mexico Border, the book offers a detailed analysis of the U.S. immigration system through the lens of West African migrants, a group the author argues is often overlooked in mainstream immigration debates.
Born in Senegal, Ndiath has spent more than three decades living in the United States.
His personal journey, combined with years of legal advocacy and community organizing, provides the foundation for a book that blends firsthand experience with legal analysis, policy research, and interviews with immigration judges, attorneys, and policy experts.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Ndiath serves as the Advocacy Director at the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, where he works closely with detained immigrants, asylum seekers, and families affected by deportation.
Over the years, he has accompanied migrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check ins, detention visits, immigration court hearings, and asylum proceedings while also coordinating community legal clinics, accompaniment programs, and multilingual “Know Your Rights” initiatives.
In From Welcome to Deportation, Ndiath argues that although the United States has long portrayed itself as a nation built by immigrants, its immigration policies have historically shifted between inclusion and exclusion, often reflecting political priorities rather than consistent humanitarian principles.
The book places particular emphasis on migrants from Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, and neighboring West African countries, whose experiences are frequently absent from public discussions about U.S. immigration.
According to Ndiath, this lack of visibility has significant consequences, influencing asylum decisions, detention practices, policy development, and public understanding of African migration.
Rather than focusing solely on personal stories, the 190 page publication examines how immigration law is implemented in practice and how enforcement priorities shape the experiences of those seeking protection in the United States.
Through legal interpretation, policy analysis, and real life case studies, the book explores the gap between America’s promise of welcome and the realities many migrants encounter after crossing its borders.
Ndiath holds a Master’s degree in International Public Law, a Master’s degree in Communication, and an MBA in Finance.
His academic credentials, coupled with decades of advocacy, have established him as a respected voice on immigration policy and immigrant rights.
The book is available on IngramSpark and Amazon.
As migration continues to shape policy debates across Africa and beyond, Ndiath’s latest work offers readers a closer look at the legal realities confronting West African migrants and contributes to broader conversations about immigration, human rights, and international justice.
