By Ebi Kesiena
A United States federal court has stopped the administration of President Donald Trump from deporting a 68-year-old Nigerian, Felix Eni, ruling that immigration authorities failed to follow due process in attempting to remove him.
U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino of the Southern District of California ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to immediately release Mr Eni from custody under the terms of his long-standing supervision order. She ruled that ICE could not lawfully re-detain or deport him without complying with established procedures.
Mr Eni entered the United States in March 1980 on a student visa. He was later convicted of a misdemeanor linked to a student loan obtained improperly under that status. After serving his sentence, he was deported to Nigeria but returned to the U.S. in 2001 and began working as a nurse.
In 2008, immigration authorities again detained him and sought to deport him, but a court halted the move and placed him under an order of supervision, requiring regular check-ins with immigration officials. For 17 years, Mr Eni complied fully with the conditions, never missing an appointment. He retired from nursing in 2024 and later worked as a ride-hailing driver.
On October 31, while driving a Lyft passenger to Camp Pendleton, Mr Eni was stopped by military personnel, flagged as having “limited” immigration status and taken into custody. ICE later detained him without explaining the basis for the action. The following day, he was served a notice revoking his supervision order and informed that plans were underway to deport him to a third country.
Mr Eni challenged the decision in court, arguing that ICE failed to explain any changed circumstances justifying his re-detention. Judge Sammartino agreed, ruling that immigration authorities can only revoke supervised release if there is a clear change in circumstances, a violation of supervision, or a realistic prospect of removal in the near future.
She held that ICE’s notice was vague and legally insufficient, noting that Mr Eni was not given meaningful notice or an opportunity to respond. The judge also rejected claims that changes in U.S.–Nigeria relations justified the action.
Ordering his immediate release, the court barred ICE from re-detaining Mr Eni unless proper procedures are followed. The judge consequently dismissed his request for a temporary restraining order as moot.
