Aminata Seck, a 26-year-old Senegalese college basketball player at Kentucky State University, is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after overstaying her student visa. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that she will remain detained while awaiting removal proceedings.
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Seck was arrested by ICE on August 7 at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport just before a trip to New York with her team. According to DHS, she entered the U.S. legally on September 1, 2019, through Los Angeles, but later violated immigration laws by overstaying her visa.
DHS noted that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal for Seck on September 8, 2025, after she failed to attend her immigration hearing. Seck's attorney, Sadiqa Reynolds, emphasized that her situation is primarily due to paperwork issues rather than any criminal actions. "She hasn’t broken any laws, she hasn’t done anything wrong. She’s a student, trying to make it," Reynolds stated.
Seck was previously dealing with an ACL injury and was reportedly without access to basic medical care while in custody. DHS stated that she was transferred to a local hospital for treatment of knee pain on September 21. Despite protocols ensuring medical care for detainees, it remains unclear where she is currently receiving treatment.
Reynolds also shared that Seck has been moved multiple times across various detention facilities, including Clay, Clark, and Grayson counties in Kentucky, as well as a facility in Chicago. The reasons for these transfers have not been clarified by DHS.
Representative Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat from Kentucky, is monitoring Seck's case and expressed concern about the treatment of young athletes like her. "The Trump Administration's cruelty knows no bounds, but we will never let this become normal," he said.
Seck, listed as a senior on Kentucky State's basketball roster, was honored as third-team All-SIAC last season and earned the SIAC Elite 16 award for academic and athletic excellence. Kentucky State University has opted not to comment further on her situation due to privacy concerns.
The DHS has indicated that individuals in detention have the option to self-deport by accepting a $3,000 offer and a free flight home. They reminded that failure to comply would result in arrest and deportation without the chance to return.