Nigerian-Born US Professor Ann Lawani Detained by ICE for Nearly Two Months Despite Work Permit

Nigerian-born nurse and university professor, Dr Ann Lawani, has been detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly two months following her arrest at her home in Lodi, California, on September 16, 2026.

Lawani, who serves as the Statewide ME-MSN Programme Director at the University of San Francisco, oversees approximately 230 nursing students. She also works as a registered nurse at John Muir Health.

Her detention was reported on Tuesday by KQED, with other American media outlets, including NBC Bay Area and KCRA 3, providing details of her immigration case.

Lawani holds a PhD in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing in Clinical Nurse Leadership from the University of San Diego. She also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from California State University, Sacramento.

According to her official University of San Francisco profile, her clinical experience includes caring for patients with cardiopulmonary conditions, stroke, cystic fibrosis and orthopaedic conditions in acute care and hospice settings.

Her research focuses on palliative care, healthcare utilisation among patients with advanced cancer, the management of chronically ill older adults and end-of-life transitions.

She also mentors first-generation nursing students and advocates diversity and health equity within the nursing profession.

Details of Her Detention

Lawani was arrested by ICE agents at her residence in Lodi on September 16 and initially taken to a detention facility in Stockton, California.

She was subsequently transferred through several facilities, including one in El Paso, Texas, before being moved to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Centre, where she remains detained.

Her immigration case dates back to 2007, when she entered the United States on a visitor visa and subsequently applied for asylum.

The US Department of Homeland Security said her asylum application was denied in 2013 and that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal on August 6 of that year.

However, her lawyer, Natalia Vieira Santanna, told KCRA 3 that the immigration judge also granted Lawani withholding of removal to Nigeria after determining that she was more likely than not to face persecution if returned to the country.

Santanna maintained that the ruling prevented the US government from deporting her client to Nigeria.

She also disclosed that Lawani’s work permit remains valid until April 2029.

Responding to the matter, the Department of Homeland Security maintained that Lawani had received due process and would remain in ICE custody pending her removal from the United States.

“She received due process and was issued a final order of removal on August 6, 2013. She will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States,” the department said in a statement to KCRA 3.

The agency also clarified that having work authorisation does not automatically confer legal immigration status in the United States.

Family, University and Nurses’ Union Demand Her Release

Lawani’s continued detention has triggered calls for her release from family members, university colleagues, healthcare workers and elected officials.

Her brother, Samuel Lawani, described her as a dedicated healthcare professional whose work has saved lives.

“To simply put it, she is a lifesaver,” he told KCRA 3.

He also expressed his determination to secure her release, saying, “I will move the earth if possible to make sure she gets out of there.”

The Dean of the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions, Eileen Fry-Bowers, said Lawani’s absence was affecting students, faculty members and the institution’s academic activities.

“Her continued absence causes real and mounting harm to the students and faculty who rely on her mentorship, to our accreditation-mandated curriculum work, and to the safety-net partnerships she has built,” Fry-Bowers said, according to KQED.

The National Nurses United also called for her immediate release and return home in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The union described Lawani as a dedicated healthcare professional who had earned the respect of her patients, students and community through years of service.

“Ann Lawani represents the best of us: a hardworking, dedicated nurse who committed herself fully to her education and profession and is beloved by her patients, her students, and her community,” the union said.

It also urged John Muir Health and the University of San Francisco to use their influence to secure her release.

Meanwhile, United States Congressman Josh Harder has appealed to the Department of Homeland Security to release Lawani and return her to California while her immigration case proceeds.

In a statement issued on November 10, Harder argued that her longstanding compliance with immigration requirements, lack of criminal history and strong community connections did not justify her continued detention far from home.

“Given her longstanding compliance, lack of criminal history, and substantial community ties, there is no apparent public safety justification for keeping Dr Lawani detained thousands of miles from home while her case proceeds,” he said.

Harder’s office also disclosed that he had written to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin seeking clarification on the country to which the government intends to remove Lawani and the legal basis for her continued detention.