Senegal Basketball Star Seck Held in ICE Custody
Aminata Seck, a Kentucky State player, remains detained after an immigration judge issued a removal order. Her legal team calls the situation a paperwork error.
Key points
- Aminata Seck, a Kentucky State basketball player, remains in ICE custody after a final removal order was issued on Sept. 8, 2025.
- DHS states Seck overstayed her student visa and missed a hearing, while her lawyer calls it a paperwork issue.
- ICE removed Seck from its public detainee locator system on Sept. 15, though she remains listed at Grayson County Detention Center.
Aminata Seck, a 26-year-old basketball player from Senegal, faces continued detention in Kentucky. U.S. authorities confirm she will remain in custody until removal proceedings conclude.
ICE arrested Seck on Aug. 7 at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. She was preparing to travel with her team to New York. The Department of Homeland Security states she overstayed her temporary visa.
Removal order follows missed hearing
DHS says Seck entered the country legally on Sept. 1, 2019. An immigration judge issued a final removal order on Sept. 8, 2025. The agency claims she failed to appear for a required hearing.
The department asserts that a pending application does not grant legal status. Seck is currently held in ICE custody. Officials state she is receiving treatment for knee pain at a local hospital.
Legal team describes isolation
Lawyer Sadiqa Reynolds says no one has seen Seck since her initial detention. Reynolds has spoken to her client only a few times by phone. The attorney argues Seck is not a criminal, but a student dealing with a paperwork issue.
Seck suffered an ACL injury before her arrest. She wore a brace and struggled to access basic care. Reynolds visited the Grayson County Detention Center on Sept. 21, only to learn Seck had been moved to a medical facility.
Hidden from public databases
Seck’s name is absent from the ICE detainee locator. The agency stopped listing thousands of detainees subject to deportation orders on Sept. 15. However, her mugshot remains on the Grayson County inmate list.
The entry cites the Department of Homeland Security as the arresting authority. It notes no bond is set. According to usatoday.com, this opacity complicates efforts to track her location and condition.
