Aminata Seck, a 26-year-old women’s basketball player from Senegal, was released from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after two months. A judge granted her a $2,500 bond during a hearing on Tuesday, which was posted Wednesday after ICE chose not to appeal the decision, according to Hishem Alsalman, managing attorney of Alsalman Law Office.
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In contrast, Qingfang Pang, a men’s basketball player from Mississippi Valley State University, was detained by ICE on September 29. Pang, who is from China, is currently being held at the Richwood Correctional Facility in Louisiana. Mississippi Valley State University released a statement indicating that they are concerned for Pang's well-being and are monitoring the situation closely, as he is a registered full-time student.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, stated that Pang entered the US legally on November 17, 2023, but overstayed his authorized period, which was set to expire on September 5, 2024. The spokesperson added that Pang accepted voluntary departure but will remain in ICE custody pending his removal, emphasizing that the administration is committed to enforcing the rule of law.
Seck was initially detained on August 7 at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport while preparing to travel with her team for a tournament. The DHS previously indicated that Seck legally entered the US in 2019 but overstayed her visa. An immigration judge had ordered her removal following her failure to appear at a hearing, although Alsalman has asserted that Seck did not receive notice of those proceedings.
Seck, from Dakar, Senegal, was recognized for her athletic prowess last season as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) all-conference third team, leading Kentucky State with averages of 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She also received the SIAC Women’s Basketball Elite 16 award, highlighting her achievements in academics and athletics.