Nigerian Center Testimony | DC Council - Committee on Department of Human Services

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, BUDGET OVERSIGHT HEARING ON
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE
BY GBENGA OGUNJIMI,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NIGERIAN CENTER

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Good morning, Chairman Frumin and Councilmembers,

My name is Gbenga Ogunjimi, and I am a proud DC resident and the Executive Director of the Nigerian Center, a DC-based civic institution advancing social justice, culture, and opportunity for immigrant communities in Washington, DC.

I am here today to underscore a simple point: Washington, DC’s approach to immigrant justice is unparalleled and the CLEAR grant is a key reason why.

I strongly urge the Council to ensure CLEAR funding is included in the FY27 budget at $3.5 million. While the Mayor’s proposed DHS budget does not currently include CLEAR, we anticipate this will be addressed in the errata, and we ask the Council to remain committed to fully funding this critical program.

With seed funding from CLEAR, we launched a year-round, walk-in immigration clinic in Southeast DC, bringing legal services directly to residents who would otherwise go without support. Beyond legal services, we connect clients to essential resources, including driver’s licenses, health insurance, micro-lending, free tax preparation, and financial counseling. CLEAR also enabled the Nigerian Center to obtain DOJ recognition and accreditation—the gold standard in nonprofit immigration legal services.

Without CLEAR, these life-changing services would not exist.

The African immigrant community remains one of the most underserved populations in the legal services landscape. Nationally, there are only a handful of organizations equipped to serve this community with cultural and linguistic competence. CLEAR is helping change that narrative in Washington, DC.

At the same time, demand is growing rapidly and outpacing our capacity. Immigration cases are increasingly complex, often taking months or years to resolve. We are seeing increased enforcement, more families seeking assistance, and shifting federal policies impacting programs such as TPS and travel bans and immigration holds. As one of the few Black immigrant-led legal service providers, we serve clients across the African diaspora, including Afro-Latino and Caribbean communities.

Every day, we encounter stories of resilience from survivors of domestic violence to highly skilled individuals contributing to DC’s economy yet facing barriers to stability due to lack of legal access.

This investment is both the moral and the smart thing to do. CLEAR not only sets a national standard for immigrant justice, it strengthens DC’s economy by ensuring that all residents can fully contribute their talents.

This is what meaningful investment looks like expanding prosperity and opportunity for all DC residents.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you.  

Sincerely,
Gbenga Ogunjimi
Executive Director, Nigerian Center