A San Francisco professor and nurse has been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for almost two months, with former students urgently demanding her release.
University of San Francisco assistant professor Dr Ann Lawani, 39, was arrested at her home in Lodi, California, on September 16 and taken to an immigration detention center in Louisiana.
Lawani, who also worked as a nurse at John Muir Health in the Bay Area, was transferred from Stockton to Bakersfield, then El Paso and eventually Louisiana, according to her attorney Natalia Vieira Santanna.
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who → hold → attorney
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Lawani, from Nigeria, overstayed a visitor visa and had received a final order of removal in 2013.
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Lawani → say → 2013
'She received due process and was issued a final order of removal on August 6, 2013,' the DHS told ABC10.
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DHS → receive → ABC10
Lawani will remain in ICE custody pending her removal from the United States, according to the DHS.
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Lawani → remain → DHS
One of Lawani's former students, Vanessa Laucirica, said she 'felt like my stomach just dropped' upon learning of her detention.
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stomach → say → detention
Eileen Fry-Bowers, dean and professor at the University of San Francisco's School of Nursing and Health Professions, said Lawani's absence had been 'profoundly felt.'
Dr Ann Lawani, 39, was arrested at her home in Lodi, California, on September 16 and has been held by ICE ever since
The Department of Homeland Security said Lawani, from Nigeria, overstayed a visitor visa and received a final order of removal in 2013
Lawani was detained roughly three weeks into the academic semester, forcing the university to make last-minute plans to cover for her.
'It's been a challenge,' Fry-Bowers told the outlet.
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Bowers → say → outlet
It, frankly, it feels like a bomb was dropped into our school.'
Her duties as a program director at the university included overseeing more than 200 master's students across three campuses.
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duties → feel → campuses
A petition calling for Lawani's release had obtained nearly 16,000 signatures as of early Thursday morning.
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petition → call → morning
California Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat, said 'there was no apparent public safety justification for keeping Dr. Lawani detained thousands of miles from home while her case proceeds.'
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case → say → home
He wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin on October 20 calling for Lawani's return to California.
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He → write → California
Lawani has been held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, according to The New York Times.
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Lawani → hold → Times
She claimed that ICE agents did not answer her when she asked why she was being arrested and that she was not presented with a warrant.
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she → claim → warrant
Lawani, who also worked as a nurse at John Muir Health in the Bay Area, was a program director and associate professor at the University of San Francisco
Lawani has been held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile (pictured)
Her attorney, Vieira Santanna, said Lawani had an order from 2013 but alleged that the DHS had not offered 'a complete picture' of her circumstances.
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DHS → work → circumstances
'It is true that Dr. Lawani has an order from 2013,' Vieira Santanna told the outlet.
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Santanna → have → outlet
'However, at the same date that this order was entered by an immigration judge, she was also granted a protection in the form of withholding of removal.'
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she → enter → removal
The DHS said Lawani entered the US in 2007 on a visitor visa and applied for asylum.
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Lawani → say → asylum
An immigration judge denied her application in 2013.
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judge → deny → 2013
However, Vieira Santanna claimed that the judge ruled Lawani could not be sent back to Nigeria as she would likely face persecution there.
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she → claim → persecution
Vieira Santanna also alleged that Lawani had renewed her work authorization, which was valid through 2029.
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which → allege → 2029
Lawani is waiting for a federal judge to rule on a habeas corpus petition arguing that the federal government violated her constitutional rights.
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government → wait → rights
The petition seeks her release from detention, though it is unclear if she would be able to remain in the US.
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she → seek → US
The DHS said Lawani was in ICE custody because she had been issued a final order of removal on August 6, 2013
Lawani's older brother, Sam Lawani, said his sister's detention was 'the worst time of my life.'
He likened it to her having been 'siphoned into an abyss and there was nothing I could do about it.'
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I → say → it
Immigration policies have been credited as one of the reasons for the Republican Party's devastating losses in the midterm elections.
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policies → credit → elections
About six in 10 voters said immigration enforcement had gone too far and 'somewhat' or 'strongly' disapproved of how ICE handled its responsibilities, according to the Associated Press.
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ICE → say → Press
Stephen Miller was recently named the new White House chief of staff by President Donald Trump, replacing Susie Wiles.
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Miller → name → Wiles
Miller, who is one of Trump's most loyal and longest-serving advisers, is known for his hardline views on immigration.
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who → serve → immigration
Critics have cited him as the architect of some of Trump's most divisive policies, including separating migrant families during deportations during the President's first term.
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Critics → cite → term
The Daily Mail reached out to ICE and DHS, which oversees the agency, as well as Lawani's attorney, Vieira Santanna for comment.
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which → reach → comment
The Aporia
