Ely* is 25 years old and from Mauritania. In his home country he was enslaved and oppressed beginning at age 12 because of his Fulani ethnicity and the fact that he is a Black Mauritanian. U.S. State Department reports acknowledge that Mauritanians suffer from significant human rights issues that include the continued existence of slavery, some of the worst forms of child labor, arbitrary arrests, harsh prison conditions, and serious government corruption. Ely is eligible for parole (release from detention), asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). He seeks representation at his deportation hearing scheduled for October 31 in Annandale, VA.

When Ely was 12 years old, he became enslaved by Chadi*, a wealthy and powerful man. His parents had also been enslaved by Chadi’s family, although his parents have since died. Ely explains that he “inherited” this job working on Chadi’s farm from his parents. Chadi beat him frequently with sticks, ropes, and other objects. Ely was not educated and cannot read or write. Ely tried to escape from Chadi several times, but each time Chadi would capture him, beat him, and torture him. He worked for Chadi from January 2012 to July 2023, when he escaped again.

This time, when Chadi caught Ely, he used his connections with the police and the president to put him in prison, where Ely suffered beatings and had no food. The beatings from the police left Ely with pain in his hips. The police tortured him while he was imprisoned, and they made him sign a document saying that they would work for Chadi as long as Chadi wanted, or Ely was at risk of being killed. Ely was released from prison after he signed the document, but he knew he had to work for Chadi or be killed.

Ely fled again. He walked and hid in the forest for 20 days until he arrived at an uncle’s house. His uncle refused to help for fear of the police, and he told Ely to leave the country. Ely arrived in the U.S. in August 2023.

Ely believes that if he returns to Mauritania, he will be killed. He fears that Chadi will find him and turn him in to the government, and then he will be killed by the police. Ely explains that the government will know when he returns to his country, and they will know that he ran away from Chadi, and the government will notify Chadi and Chadi will instruct them to kill Ely.

All Amica Center matters placed with a pro bono team are robustly mentored by an Amica Center attorney. Our mentoring program includes an opening meeting to discuss the scope and process of the matter, provision of samples, guidance on the law, review of draft filings, assistance with client contact, and guidance on preparation for interviews and hearings.

*Pseudonyms are used to protect privacy.