Samuel Sey deported to Canada after ICE arrest, family confirms.

Samuel Sey, a Ghana‑born Christian blogger who moved to the United States in 2022 to marry, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday and deported to Canada, his family said.

Sey grew up in Canada after his parents emigrated from Ghana when he was a child. He obtained a visitor visa to the U.S. in early 2022 and entered the country to wed his fiancée, a U.S. citizen. The family believed a paperwork error — a missing I‑94 form and an expired visa stamp — triggered the arrest, not any criminal conduct. His case comes as ICE intensifies enforcement against visa overstays and undocumented migrants, a policy shift that began under the Biden administration after a period of reduced raids during the previous term. Advocates say the crackdown disproportionately affects people who entered legally but fell out of status due to bureaucratic delays.

Within hours of the detention, a network of conservative Christian influencers rallied to Sey’s defense. Prominent pastors and online personalities posted on social media, urging followers to sign petitions and contact their representatives. The #FreeSamuel hashtag trended on Twitter, and a petition on Change.org gathered more than 30,000 signatures. Sey’s family released a statement calling the removal “unjust” and accusing ICE of “targeting a religious leader for his faith.” Immigration lawyers for the family filed a motion to stay the deportation, arguing that Sey’s removal violated due process and that his marriage should have granted him a path to permanent residency.

ICE officials declined to comment on the specifics of Sey’s case but said the agency enforces immigration law consistently. The Department of Homeland Security has not indicated whether Sey will be allowed to re‑apply for a visa or if he can challenge the removal in U.S. courts. Advocates warn that the incident could set a precedent for similar actions against other faith‑based migrants. Sey’s supporters say they will continue to press for his return and for broader reforms to protect lawful visa holders from abrupt deportations. The outcome may influence how immigration authorities handle cases where paperwork errors intersect with high‑profile public figures.