Hopkins researcher detained by ICE despite valid work authorization, asylum case

BALTIMORE — A Johns Hopkins researcher detained by ICE this week had a valid work authorization permit and a pending asylum case, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Sources say Dr. Fatima Ameaka’s permit was valid until 2029.

She was taken into custody on July 28 while boarding a flight at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Dr. Ameaka overstayed her visa, which expired June 13, 2024.

“In violation of our nation’s laws, she overstayed her visa. She will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” the DHS spokesperson said.

“The university understands the fear and concern this instills in members of our community. 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 spokesperson said.

Dr. Ameaka, a Cameroonian national, is currently being held at the Alexandria Staging Facility in Louisiana.

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized ICE following Dr. Ameaka’s arrest.

“Fatima came to the US on a Fulbright scholarship & is a researcher at Johns Hopkins. She had previously filed for TPS & currently has a pending asylum case. But ICE has detained her & is working to deport her. She is not the ‘worst of the worst’ & deporting her is not making us safer. We must stand up & speak out,” Senator Van Hollen said.

A GoFundMe page was created by someone who identifies as a close friend and colleague of Dr. Ameaka to raise funds for legal support and help secure her release.

The fundraiser organizer describes Ameaka as a “warm and friendly” person who has “the ability to light up any room.”

“Fatima is a supportive colleague and friend who we all can count on, always ready to lend a hand or offer encouragement when it’s needed most,” the organizer wrote.

The fundraiser has raised over $40,000 and has stopped accepting donations.