U.S. Court Orders Nigerian Woman to Remain in ICE Custody Over Criminal Charges
- Feb 24
- 2 min read
A federal court in Texas has ruled that a Nigerian national, Adedoja Alayande, will remain in immigration detention as she faces deportation proceedings in the United States.
The decision was delivered by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas after Ms. Alayande challenged her continued detention by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She argued that authorities lacked sufficient grounds to keep her in custody.
Court records show that Ms. Alayande entered the United States in 2018 on a visitor’s visa but allegedly overstayed the authorised period. Immigration officials reportedly initiated contact with her in 2020 regarding the overstay.
In mid-2025, she was arrested in Texas and charged in connection with burglary and injury to a child. Following her arrest, ICE requested custody based on her immigration status. She was subsequently transferred from local detention to an immigration facility in September 2025.
Efforts to secure release on bond were unsuccessful. Immigration authorities maintained that her criminal charges raised concerns about public safety. Subsequent bond requests were also denied on the grounds that there had been no significant change in circumstances.
Ms. Alayande later filed a habeas corpus petition, seeking judicial intervention to declare her detention unlawful. She represented herself in the proceedings and contended that she was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community.
However, government attorneys moved for summary judgment, citing federal immigration law that permits detention of non-citizens pending removal proceedings. The court noted that Ms. Alayande did not formally oppose the government’s motion within the required timeframe.
After reviewing the filings, District Judge Charles Eskridge ruled against her petition, ordering that she remain in ICE custody while deportation proceedings continue. The court concluded that the legal standards for her continued detention had been met under U.S. immigration statutes.
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