A Johns Hopkins University researcher from Cameroon was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers this week in Baltimore, after being accused of overstaying her visa as part of President Trump’s ongoing crackdown on immigration.
Ameaka Fatima Nkempu was detained by ICE at Baltimore Washington International Airport this week. University officials said she was traveling on a personal trip when she was taken into custody.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Nkempu entered the U.S. on a visa in June 2023 that allowed her to remain in the country legally until mid-June 2024. The department added that the professor overstayed her visa, which is a violation of the nation’s immigration laws and that she will remain in custody pending deportation proceedings.
“Being in detention is a choice,” DHS said in a statement, adding that the agency offers immigrants in the United States illegally a free flight home and a $2,600 check.
Hopkins ‘deeply concerned’ on arrest
Johns Hopkins officials said the school is “deeply concerned” over the detention of Nkempu, who is an employee at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and a respected member of the university community.
“The university understands the fear and concern this instills in members of our community,” the school said in a prepared statement. “Dr. Ameaka was traveling in a personal capacity, and though we cannot comment on the specifics of her situation, we want to assure our community that the university is actively working to provide support for Dr. Ameaka, including ensuring she has access to legal representation.”
The arrest came after the Trump administration has surged more ICE officers across the country, including at the nation’s airports. DHS has ramped up enforcement operations amid White House pressure for ICE to make more arrests. The agents have been deployed to at least 25 airports around the country as part of the push.
ICE entered a data-sharing agreement with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), according to multiple reports this week. The pact makes it easier for the agencies to identify immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, including those accused of overstaying visas.
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