A San Francisco tech startup is developing an artificial intelligence tool to help immigrants around the world, including the estimated 10 to 12 million who are undocumented in the U.S., navigate red tape and bureaucracy.
Bisi Obateru has found his entrepreneurial space in tech. He’s building an AI-driven portal called JustiGuide that will help other immigrants like himself pursue their dreams.
“Everyone can contribute. We just need to give them the information in a way to help them, hold their hand to get them to a place where they can take action,” said Obateru.
AI advancements, allowing users to communicate in their native languages and receive immediate answers to often challenging immigration law questions, are streamlining the process.
The portal can connect them to immigration attorneys and others, including many who offer pro-bono services.
“Building JustiGuide, which is just that, a guide and guardian, we wanted to build something that can really guide them through this process,” said Obateru.
Obateru’s journey to America began in Nigeria. He’s not a U.S. citizen yet, but he has navigated the intricate maze that can be the immigration system for decades.
“My journey as an F-1 student, then H-1B cap, then green card is a big component as to why I chose to work on this problem,” said Obateru.
Immigration analysts say the backlog of applications for visas, green cards, and citizenship is substantial, with millions of cases pending.
“During the Trump administration, the first Trump administration, the paperwork backlog got worse because he insisted that they interview almost anyone who’s applying for a visa of any type,” said Bill Ong Hing, professor of law and migration studies at the University of San Francisco.
Hing says shifts in immigration policies can dramatically impact backlogs, but he also believes platforms like JustiGuide can mitigate lengthy wait times in certain cases if they can provide two things.
“One the information on exactly what needs to be submitted, but also hooking up people with competent representation that will make sure everything is submitted properly, that can only help,” said Hing.
Obateru believes his portal provides those essentials for speedier outcomes.
“I think about it from the perspective of human potential. How many people have to wait so long to find a way to belong,” said Obateru.
The young entrepreneur is creating jobs while guiding outsiders on a journey so many only dream of and wait for so long.
JustiGuide is going through a round of startup fundraising. Its non-profit arm will host an event in San Francisco called Navigate Summit in October.
The event’s goal is to bring immigrants, lawyers, and other advocates to understand these technologies and the other resources available.
