CAIR Maryland Condemns ICE Arrest of Johns Hopkins Researcher

 

CAIR Maryland Condemns ICE Arrest of Johns Hopkins Researcher at BWI Airport, Seeks Due Process and Immediate Release

The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the arrest and detention of a Johns Hopkins University public health researcher by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

According to media reports, Dr. Fatima Ameaka, a researcher employed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, was detained and taken into custody by ICE on July 28 while preparing to board a domestic flight for a personal trip.

The Department of Homeland Security reportedly claims that Dr. Ameaka entered the United States in 2023 on a visa that has since expired. She is being held in ICE custody while awaiting an immigration court hearing.

Johns Hopkins University has affirmed Dr. Ameaka as a respected member of its community, expressed deep concern about her detention and said it is working to ensure that she has access to legal representation.

SEE: Johns Hopkins Researcher Arrested by ICE at BWI Amid Increased Airport Enforcement

In a statement, CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:

“The arrest of a respected public health researcher while she was preparing to board a domestic flight is deeply alarming and reflects the Trump administration’s escalating campaign of intimidation against immigrant communities.

“Dr. Ameaka did not pose a threat to public safety. Treating people suspected of civil immigration violations like dangerous criminals, ambushing them in airports and subjecting them to prolonged detention is cruel, unnecessary and fundamentally at odds with the principles of due process and human dignity.

“Airports should not become hunting grounds where federal agents exploit travelers’ personal information to make arrests in secured locations. The reported collaboration between TSA and ICE raises serious civil liberties and privacy concerns for every traveler, particularly immigrants and members of communities already subjected to discriminatory surveillance and profiling.

“We call for Dr. Ameaka’s immediate release, full access to legal counsel and a fair opportunity to resolve her immigration case outside of detention. We also urge Maryland’s congressional delegation to investigate the expanded sharing of domestic travelers’ information between TSA and ICE and to demand transparency about how this enforcement program is being implemented at BWI Airport.

“No one should be disappeared into immigration detention merely for attempting to travel within the country. Our government must stop using fear, humiliation and incarceration as substitutes for a fair and humane immigration system.”

Immigration enforcement at U.S. airports has increased as TSA and ICE expand information-sharing practices. According to media reports, ICE sources said travelers without criminal records may be referred to immigration agents based on suspected civil immigration violations, including visa overstays.

CAIR Maryland urges travelers who believe their civil rights have been violated by immigration or law enforcement authorities to contact an attorney and submit a report to CAIR at CAIR.com/report

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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