ICE prepares to deport father and primary caregiver for two sons with significant health conditions
A Nigerian immigrant 鈥� who is the primary provider for and caretaker of his two sons with significant health concerns 鈥� is being deported, without even the opportunity to say 鈥済oodbye鈥� to his children after more than 25 years in this country.
When A. Shobande came to the U.S. from Nigeria 27 years ago on a tourist visa, he sought asylum shortly thereafter. His application was denied, appealed, reopened, and denied again. He was released on an order of supervision, and has been checking in regularly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
One of Shobande鈥檚 sons, 19, has sickle-cell disease, which causes frequent and unpredictably painful events. The other son, 17, has severe autism. Shobande works nights and takes his sons to their various medical appointments during the day.
Shobande was a senior project manager in the Durham County, North Carolina, Department of Energy and Environmental Services, where he worked for 20 years until 2013. More recently, he had another job, and management there spoke highly of him, saying they would happily hire him back.
But during a regular check-in with ICE on March 15, Shobande was detained without explanation. He has no criminal history.
鈥淭here is no reason for ICE to deport him now after living for such a long time in the U.S.,鈥� said Daniel Werner, director of the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI) , a project of the 人兽性交 that enlists and trains lawyers to provide free legal representation to detained immigrants facing deportation proceedings in the Southeast.
Shobande was removed from the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, early this morning, and was moved to Atlanta, in preparation for his deportation back to Nigeria. SIFI applied to stay Shobande鈥檚 removal nearly three weeks ago. After he was transferred early this morning, SIFI was told that ICE had denied the request.
Shobande is his autistic son鈥檚 鈥渂est friend,鈥� and the light of the boy鈥檚 life. He is critical to the ongoing care and well-being of both his sons.
鈥淣othing has changed to justify ICE doing this,鈥� Werner said. 鈥淚f ICE allowed his release on an order of supervision for only two more years, he would be able to adjust status to care for his disabled children.鈥�
