Sawt Falasteen - Black Brazilian Musician Freed After Year in Detention Calls for Immigrant Solidarity

Leandro Oliveira Xavier, known professionally as Leo, has been granted asylum in the United States after spending nine months detained at the Mesa Verde Immigration Processing Center in Bakersfield, California. The Brazilian musician, who arrived in the Bay Area several years ago, describes his release in mid-September 2026 not as a conclusion to his struggles, but as the beginning of a new phase in a fight for justice that he believes must be shared by Black communities nationwide.

Xavier’s case highlights the intersection of immigration enforcement and racial identity, a theme he emphasizes in discussions with veteran journalist JR Valrey. Xavier was arrested while navigating the process to become a legal resident. He was taken from his location at 630 Sansome Street in San Francisco by unidentified individuals and held without knowing when or if he would regain his freedom.

"My arrest was an extremely traumatic experience that is difficult to forget," Xavier said. "At that moment, I was deeply frightened, not knowing what would happen to me or how long I would be away from my community and my freedom."

During his detention, Xavier lived in constant uncertainty, a state he described as affecting both physical and psychological health. He noted that the loss of control over one’s routine is immediate and profound. "Suddenly, you lose control over your own routine, you don't know what will happen the next day and you live in fear and uncertainty," he explained.

While held at Mesa Verde, Xavier observed a significant presence of Black immigrants from various backgrounds. He reported meeting individuals from Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Africa, and other Caribbean nations. This observation led him to challenge the perception among some in the U.S. that immigration is not a Black issue.

"This is one of the most important issues I would like to highlight," Xavier stated. "Immigration is also a Black issue. Inside the detention center, I met several Black people of different nationalities and backgrounds."

Xavier argued that Black immigrants face a "double vulnerability," combining societal racism with the legal precarity of lacking citizenship or permanent residency. He drew parallels between the historical struggles of Black Americans against segregation and dehumanization and the current plight of detained immigrants.

"The history of the Black population in this country is marked by struggles against segregation, dehumanization, the separation of families and the denial of rights," Xavier said. "Therefore, I believe there is a very important connection between the historical struggle of the Black American population and the struggle of Black immigrants."

He urged the Black community to recognize that the conditions faced by detainees are not isolated incidents but part of a broader systemic issue. Xavier criticized the political landscape, suggesting that both major parties serve corporate interests rather than working-class communities.

"Whether we talk about the huge ICE budget, concentration camps, AI surveillance, police terrorism... or local affordability, both parties represent the corporate class and not the working class," he said. "In other words, we must create the solutions to the problems that we see. We cannot expect a political party or the government to look out for working-class Black communities."

Xavier described the conditions inside the detention center as horrific, citing a lack of privacy and the emotional toll of separation from family members. He emphasized that detainees are human beings deserving of dignity, adequate food, and medical care.

"We need to remember that, regardless of someone’s immigration status, we are talking about human beings who deserve respect, dignity, adequate food, medical care and humane treatment," he said.

Although Xavier is now free and at home, he remains unable to work legally. He has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support himself until he receives a work permit. He also called on supporters to follow organizations such as Community Movement Builders’ Oakland chapter, ACUDIR, and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.

"My freedom does not erase what I have lived through, nor does it mean that my struggle is over," Xavier said. "I am asking them not to remain indifferent to human suffering. Black solidarity needs to transcend borders. The pain of a Black immigrant cannot be invisible."

Xavier’s final message was a call for universal humanity and justice. "Our humanity does not depend on a passport, nationality or immigration status," he said. "We all deserve dignity, respect, freedom and justice."

The case of Leandro Oliveira Xavier underscores the personal costs of immigration detention policies and the ongoing debate over how different communities engage with issues of migrant rights and racial solidarity.

D.Qudsi--SF-PST