For many immigrants of color in New England’s gateway cities, the dream of U.S. citizenship is increasingly feeling like a distant, moving target. The triple-deckers of Worcester and Providence, the East Hartford and Portland neighborhoods, have become an intricate mesh of changed federal policy, increased law expenses, and institutionalized racial prejudice, which has placed thousands of residents in a state of legal uncertainty.
Although immigrants are the workforce of the service, healthcare, and construction sectors, immigrants, and especially those of the Caribbean, Central America, and Sub-Saharan Africa, are disproportionately challenged in accessing stable legal status. The journey from undocumented or temporary status to citizenship has become a challenge of perseverance and affluence, rather than an everyday administrative procedure in 2026.
A Cocktail of Safety and Danger
Local schemes, such as sanctuary ordinances in cities like Boston and Cambridge, can offer a thin coat of protection against deportation but cannot secure legal status in the federal system. To the 200,000 undocumented population in Massachusetts alone, having no federal pathway means that it is in a shadow economy. According to a community advocate in Providence, Rhode Island, Elena Rodriguez, the system is set to be a maze that only people with significant financial power can navigate.
In our neighborhood, we have Black and Brown immigrants who have lived here not only for twenty years, but also paid taxes, and brought up American children, but it can be easily lost with a flick of the court appointment or policy changes.
The “Color Line” in Immigration
People of color are not only disadvantaged economically, but also structurally. Recent statistics provided by the local interest groups, such as MIRA Coalition, indicate that people of color who are immigrants are more likely to experience extreme vetting as well as have a drawn-out backlog when it comes to processing family-based visas.
In Hartford, Connecticut, the combination of excessive policing in communities of color and immigration enforcement has led to a pipeline to deportation. Traffic offenses that do not warrant a warning for a white citizen could lead to biometric information being sent to the federal government for an immigrant of color, initiating deportation processes before they have the chance to submit an adjustment of status request.
Moreover, the so-called public charge rule, which has been subject to numerous court battles, still casts a long shadow. Some Worcester and Lowell families fear that enrolling in health and nutrition programs will prevent them from getting a green card. This self-denial of service increases health and economic disparities, which already afflict non-white neighborhoods.
The Cost of Belonging
Another obstacle that communities of color face is the financial barrier to citizenship. The cost of naturalization may exceed 3000 dollars, including steady increases in USCIS filing fees and the fee paid to a private lawyer. In cities such as Portland, Maine, where the population of New Americans continues to grow but remains languishing in low-paying jobs, these expenses can be prohibitively high unless the community provides substantial support.
It is not paperwork; it is the right to belong, says a Haitian community leader in Dorchester. When you make it so costly and so one-sided to become a citizen, you are telling people of color that they are welcome, but not guaranteed to make an appearance.
The Road Ahead
As 2026 approaches, cities in New England remain on the front lines. Although state programs such as the Work and Family Mobility Act in Massachusetts have accorded certain dignity through driver licensure, the ultimate goal, citizenship, has remained beyond the federal fence.
For immigrants of color residing in the North End of Hartford or the South Side of Providence, the struggle is no longer about survival, but about achieving full recognition as full participants in the cities they tirelessly contribute to every day.
Dr. Brian Omolo is an author and professional advisor dedicated to raising the voices of the different communities of New England. He is a PhD holder in Literature from Kenyatta University and a bachelor's degree holder in Pure Mathematics from the University of Nairobi, which justifies his combination of analytical clarity and creative insight.
