A public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University was detained by immigration officers while boarding a domestic flight this week
A Johns Hopkins spokesperson confirmed that Fatima Ameaka, an employee at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, was detained while preparing to board a flight for a personal trip
The detention comes as the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement at U.S. airports amid increased collaboration between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
“Though we cannot comment on the specifics of her situation, we want to assure our community that the university is actively working to provide support for Dr. Ameaka, including ensuring she has access to legal representation,” a Johns Hopkins spokesperson said in a statement
The spokesperson added that the university is “deeply concerned” about ICE detaining Dr. Ameaka, who they described as “a respected member of our community.”
Our media partner, The Baltimore Banner, reports that a government website tracking immigrants whom ICE detained showed that Ameaka was in custody as of Thursday morning, but it did not indicate where she was being detained
CBS News Baltimore reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment but has not received a response
More immigration arrests at U.S. Airports
ICE ICE has fueled more reports of immigration arrests at U.S. airports
zen travelers to ICE, including on immigrants who don’t have criminal records but are suspected of civil immigration violations, such as overstaying a visa
In May 2025, TSA and ICE agreed to boost information sharing between the two agencies, according to a memo disclosed this week by the group American Oversight
An ICEorts are “easy targets” ICE agents can arrest in secured locations and while having information about their cases in advance.
In a statement to CBS News, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that immigration enforcement at airports has increased
“DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country,” DHS stated. “Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.”
