DHS said Samuel Sey does not have any pending immigration application and he will be deported for overstaying his visa by 4 years.
The 39-year-old was detained at Columbus International Airport in Ohio on October 21 and is being held at Butler County Jail, according to reports. The Department of Homeland Security told Religion News Service that Sey entered the United States legally in 2022 but overstayed his authorized period of admission by more than four years. Because of his outspoken support for strict immigration enforcement, his detention has drawn attention.
The department also said he had no pending immigration applications and had accepted voluntary departure. A fundraising appeal set up for Sey’s family said his wife, Annie, was seeking his release on bail to resolve possible clerical issues concerning his immigration status. Samuel Sey, a Ghana-born conservative Christian blogger who has publicly defended US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and mass deportation policies, has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is facing removal from the United States. The couple has three children.
What happens next?
Because of Sey’s previous support for the administration’s immigration policies, the case has attracted attention among conservative Christian circles.
DHS has said Sey will be deported and will remain in ICE custody until he is removed from the country. The department has not publicly specified whether he will be sent to Ghana or Canada. DHS maintains that he overstayed his authorised admission and accepted voluntary departure While supporters have suggested an administrative error may be involved.