Four Kenyans are facing deportation from the US after being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who described them as public safety threats following convictions for offences including rape, predatory criminal sexual assault, assault and robbery.
They are among more than 10,000 people arrested in the past seven days as state officials intensify efforts to detain individuals not authorised to be in the US.
The Kenyans include Said Salat Yarow, who was arrested and convicted of sexual assault in Travis County, central Texas.
Another Kenyan convicted of sexual assault and burglary was Newton Njuguna Githiri. The 32-year-old was arrested by ICE agents in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was convicted of sexually abusing a minor — a seven-year-old girl — in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Also listed on the "Worst of the Worst" registry is another Kenyan, Mohamed Chekchekani, who was convicted of kidnapping a minor and violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in Los Angeles, California. He was convicted of facilitating interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, along with larceny, handling stolen property and drug possession, under the RICO Act.
The RICO Act is a US federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organisation. It was established to control criminal gang activity and hold all levels of criminal racketeering syndicates accountable. It was used effectively in the 1970s to combat the Mafia and the Latin Kings gang in New York, and has since been used by prosecutors nationwide to combat organised crime more broadly. Chekchekani is currently detained and faces deportation to Kenya.
From left: Ian Mwangi Irungu, Newton Njuguna Githiri, Said Salat Yarow and Mohamed Chekchekani.
Photo credit: Pool
In Minnesota, Ian Mwangi Irungu, an unauthorised immigrant from Kenya, was convicted of selling heroin and other dangerous drugs. He was arrested under ICE's Operation Metro Surge in the state.
ICE, through the Department of Homeland Security, maintains a public registry detailing the immigration arrests of serious criminal offenders, known as the "Worst of the Worst."
Under President Donald Trump's administration, ICE has become known for pursuing foreign nationals with convictions, as well as those facing criminal charges, for deportation.
The registry has grown over the past year, tracking those arrested and targeted for removal. Violent offences such as felony convictions for homicide, kidnapping, rape and child molestation can result in deportation, as can narcotics trafficking, including the manufacture and distribution of large quantities of controlled substances.
On his X account, Republican Congressman Tom Emmer criticised local leaders in Minnesota over illegal immigration.
"Local leaders in Minnesota must stand up for law-abiding citizens and work with federal enforcement to get criminals like Ian Irungu OUT of Minnesota," he wrote. "Time is of the essence."
Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said: "Our ICE law enforcement officers truly are the best of the best. They put their lives on the line every day to arrest the worst of the worst. Yesterday, they arrested multiple rapists, violent assailants, and robbers. If you see an ICE officer, thank them for their service."
Trump has pushed for the removal of both convicted criminals and people residing in the country illegally.
However, human rights advocates from Amnesty International, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) fear that registries such as the "Worst of the Worst" could fuel racial profiling. They argue that many of those convicted and detained for deportation are not violent offenders, and have raised concerns about the lack of due process for immigrants and limited access to legal representation for many of those detained.
Some people have reportedly been deported even after courts had halted the process. Four other Kenyans were deported earlier, having appeared on the list for various crimes. The US is also searching for a Kenyan wanted for fraud who fled back to Africa.
