Kenyan Nurse Deported From US After Nearly 20 Years in America

Kenyan-born nurse Maureen Wanjiru Ngure was deported from the United States to Kenya on 22 September, weeks after she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an immigration appointment in San Francisco.

Ngure had lived in Northern California for nearly 20 years after arriving in the United States on a visitor’s visa in 2006. She settled in Concord, where she worked as a registered nurse and became involved in local public health initiatives.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ngure volunteered with Contra Costa County’s emergency response efforts, joining healthcare workers who supported the community during the health crisis.

Her life in the United States changed on 14 August 2026 when ICE detained her during what was expected to be a routine appointment at a federal immigration office in San Francisco. According to supporters and community advocates, Ngure had regularly complied with immigration supervision requirements and attended scheduled check-ins with authorities.

She was subsequently held in immigration custody and reportedly transferred between several detention facilities in different states before being removed to Kenya on 22 September. Ngure’s case was based on an old immigration matter rather than an allegation of criminal conduct.

She had been subject to a final removal order issued in 2012, which meant that her deportation was governed by civil immigration law. Her supporters have questioned whether greater consideration should have been given to the life she had established in the United States, including her employment, tax contributions, community involvement and family ties.

The circumstances of her detention have also attracted scrutiny because Ngure was reportedly making arrangements to leave the United States voluntarily. People familiar with her situation said she had secured an opportunity in Canada’s healthcare sector and was preparing to relocate there with her family.

Advocates argued that allowing her more time to complete those arrangements could have resulted in a voluntary departure instead of detention and deportation.

Her detention also separated her from her family. Her husband, Peter Mang'ara Muchendu, and their two children, who are United States citizens, initially remained in California after she was detained and deported.

Later reports indicated that the family travelled to Kenya and reunited with Ngure, although those reports had not been independently verified when they emerged.

The case highlights the potential consequences of immigration reporting appointments for people with outstanding removal orders. Although such appointments are generally administrative, authorities can use them as an opportunity to enforce existing orders.

Legal practitioners often advise people with unresolved immigration cases to understand their legal position before attending appointments, particularly when a final removal order is in place. Access to legal advice and careful review of immigration documents can be important when authorities take enforcement action.

Ngure’s case has also become a focus for immigrant advocacy groups, including the Concord Immigrant Protection Network. The organisation and other supporters have cited her experience in discussions about the enforcement of long-standing removal orders against people who have spent many years establishing careers, families and community ties in the United States.

Supporters of strict enforcement argue that final removal orders must be implemented to uphold immigration law. Immigration advocates, however, argue that authorities should consider an individual’s circumstances and the length of time they have lived in the United States when deciding how and when to enforce such orders.