Many African immigrants find it hard to adjust to life in the US [Gladys Njoroge]

More than 40 million people in the United States are foreign-born, including many African immigrants, who often find the "American dream" souring as the reality of fending for themselves, and the families they left behind, dawns on them.

However, the US presidential candidates have remained silent on their intentions to reshape America's immigration policy.

Haru Mutasa highlights the plight of African immigrants in the US with this report from New York.

Fatime Ndiaye's plan was to come to the US, get her paperwork in order and find work.

It took years to finally get her documents - but many other Africans are still waiting.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, immigration officials got tougher on people applying for US citizenship. 

"Finding a job before was a little easy but, if you don't have the right paperwork again, it becomes more difficult these days," says Fatime. 

Under the radar

Alpha says he did the jobs no Americans were prepared to do [Gladys Njoroge]

Unlike some European countries, US officials do not always check identity documents.

But that does not mean life is easy living as an illegal immigrant.

Because many of them are supporting families back home, they are unable leave. 

The assumption is they are taking jobs away from Americans but Alpha Kassogue, originally from Mali who has lived in the US for 20 years, says this is simply not true.

"I was cleaning the kitchen after restaurant hours," says Alpha. "I was cleaning the kitchen from 10 to two in the morning for $4-an-hour. An American will not do this job for $4-an-hour."

There are an estimated 500,000 African-born immigrants living in New York City, and Africans living in the US hope the next administration will make things easier.

Adjusting to a new country is not easy for some of them so they regularly organise music festivals to meet other Africans, share their stories and reminisce about life back home.

Hoping for safety

Even though Jemima, who lives in Kenya, has been denied a US visa twice, she will not give up.

She wants to study in the US but immigration officials do not believe her. They suspect once she gets into America she will not go back to Kenya.

"Right now, Kenyans are really having it hard to get a US visa," she says, visibly frustrated.

"Even students who genuinely have papers - they have their admission letters and everything - they go there and they are turned down. Why?"

But some Africans simply want somewhere safe to live, away from civil wars and poverty in other parts of the continent.

Compared to the huge number of Latin Americans applying for citizenship, Africans are in the minority.

But many wonder if their concerns will even matter to the next administration. 

They also wonder if this country of immigrants can afford to take more people in, given the economic crisis it is currently struggling with.