Fatima Ameaka, a researcher employed at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Friday.
According to the DHS, Ameaka was taken into custody because she had overstayed a visa that allowed her to remain in the United States until June 2024. She is expected to remain in ICE custody while she undergoes removal proceedings. Johns Hopkins University described Ameaka as a “respected member” of its community and stated that the institution is currently arranging support for her.
This incident occurs amid a reported rise in arrests of foreign nationals with expired visas at U.S. airports. Media outlets, including The New York Times, have reported that these detentions are part of an expanded arrangement between ICE and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Federal data indicates that the number of individuals who overstay their temporary U.S. visas annually reaches into the hundreds of thousands. Authorities have stated that the current enforcement focus is on those who have overstayed their visas, even in cases where individuals have pending applications for asylum or marriage.
