ISRAEL DMW REACTS TO ALLEGED EDO STATE BAN ON DAVIDO: 'NO ONE CAN BAN HIM FROM HIS MATERNAL HOME'. (PHOTO).
A Johns Hopkins University researcher has been released after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at Baltimore/Washington International Airport earlier this week, according to her attorney.
Fatima Ameaka, a Cameroonian national and employee at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, was taken into custody by ICE agents Tuesday. The Department of Homeland Security said she was detained after overstaying a visa that expired in June 2024.
Officials said Ameaka would remain in custody during removal proceedings, while documents show she had a valid work authorization permit through 2029 and a pending asylum application.
Johns Hopkins expressed concern over her detention and said Ameaka, who holds a doctorate in pharmacy, is a valued member of the university community. The school said it was working to support her and ensure she had access to legal assistance.
Her arrest came shortly after federal immigration authorities outlined plans to increase enforcement actions at airports involving people accused of overstaying visas.
Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins’ School of Public Health, said Ameaka joined the university as a Fulbright Scholar and had spent the past two years researching ways to improve responses to infectious disease outbreaks, including measles.
Inglesby described Ameaka as a respected colleague who is highly dedicated to her work and well-liked by those around her.
Ameaka was previously held at the Alexandria Staging Facility in Louisiana, according to her attorney. A fundraising campaign was created to help cover costs related to her legal defense.
Comments
Post a Comment