Here's a PD article on Okili (his wife, Sabrina, is a long time Wacco). I hope you can come out an celebrate/support with Okili and Sabrina this Saturday night. For more info on the free event see: https://www.waccobb.net/forums/event...-food-etc.html



African-born Sebastopol man winning battle against deportation
By BLEYS ROSE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 1:21 p.m.

African-born Okili Nguebari
of Sebastopol is winning his
battle against deportation.

Okili Nguebari, the African-born musician who spent three months in federal immigration detention on a three-decade-old student visa violation, is on his way to obtaining legal residency in the U.S.

Nguebari, who has been living in Santa Rosa since 1987 with a wife and two children, was accepted as a plaintiff in an amnesty class action lawsuit, which his attorney said gives him a temporary resident visa. Within 18 months, he can either apply for citizenship or for a permanent resident green card, according to his Oakland attorney Florence Ndedi.

“The big fight is over,” said Nguebari's wife, Sabrina Krauss. “Qualifying for the lawsuit means he has obtained the amnesty he was denied a long time ago.”

The 56-year-old native of the former French colony of Congo-Brazzaville, was picked up April 20 near his home off Santa Rosa Avenue by a half dozen Homeland Security agents. Nguebari, charged with overstaying his student visa, which expired in 1985, was released on July 17 and had faced deportation until his attorney secured his qualification as a member of the class action suit that challenges rejections of applications to a mid-1980s amnesty program.

Krauss said supporters of Nguebari's effort to secure legalized American residency are gathering Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Sebastopol Community Center for a celebration event featuring African food and music performed by dozens of his musician friends. The event is open to the public.

Nguebari is a founder of the United Africa Club that promotes African culture and he frequently performs as a drummer at music events.

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