Fatima Ameaka arrested by ICE at Baltimore-Washington International Airport for overstaying her visa
Fatima Ameaka, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Tuesday. The administration announced that Ameaka, a native of Cameroon, entered the United States on June 27, 2023, with a visa valid until June 13, 2024. Because she overstayed her visa, she will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. This arrest highlights a recent increase in immigration enforcement at U.S. airports. The administration announced that DHS reversed a policy that allowed illegal immigrants to travel domestically. Under President Trump, the administration is working to ensure that illegal immigrants can no longer fly domestically unless they are self-deporting. This shift is driven by increased information sharing between the TSA and ICE. Johns Hopkins University is actively supporting Ameaka, who is a respected researcher in the Bloomberg School of Public Health. While her family and colleagues have have been unable to reach her, the university is ensuring she has access to legal representation.