CRIS 30th Anniversary Story | Joseph
“I had no other choice but to risk death to have a chance at life.”
For Joseph (pseudonym), the tipping point came during a prison break. It was the moment he knew he could no longer stay in his home country.
Joseph had worked for several years as a correctional officer in Cameroon’s government-run prison system. Since the early 1960s, when French-speaking and English-speaking regions were merged into one newly independent nation, tensions between the two groups had simmered. Over time, systemic discrimination by the French-speaking majority deepened the divide. In 2017, those long-standing tensions exploded into widespread unrest, sparked first by Anglophone teachers and later by lawyers protesting for their rights.
In 2018, while working a routine night shift, Joseph witnessed anti-government insurgents storm the prison and free 80% of the inmates. The experience was terrifying—but the aftermath proved even more dangerous.
As an Anglophone working in the French-speaking government’s prison, Joseph found himself accused by both sides. Government officials blamed him for the break-in, claiming he had aided the insurgents. At the same time, opposition forces saw him as a traitor for serving the regime. Caught in the crossfire, Joseph made the only choice he could: he fled to Nigeria, forced to leave his wife and children behind.
From there, he made his way to South America and began a months-long journey by foot toward the United States. Though he started the trek alone, he eventually joined a group of fellow Cameroonians and others. Together, they crossed the treacherous Darién Gap—the deadly stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama—over eight harrowing days.
When Joseph finally reached the U.S. border, he presented himself to Customs and Border Protection and was immediately detained. He spent over four months in a detention center in California as his asylum case moved through the judicial system. Eventually, he received the life-changing news: his case had been approved.
With few resources or connections, he was connected to a volunteer in California who helped him travel to Columbus, Ohio. Here, Joseph was welcomed by CRIS. He was helped by immigration attorney Paul Sonenberg. He found work through one of CRIS’s employment programs, becoming a Patient Care Technician at a local hospital. He even received a donated car through CRIS to help him get to work. With help from Executive Director Angie Plummer, he applied for family reunification.
Since then, his wife and children have been able to join him and make Columbus home.
Today, Joseph continues to serve the community—this time as a deputy with local law enforcement. Step by step, he’s built a life of safety, purpose, and belonging in Central Ohio.