Nigerian-born nurse and university professor, Dr Ann Lawani, has spent nearly two months in the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement following her arrest at her California home on September 16, 2026.

Lawani, who serves as the Statewide ME-MSN Programme Director at the University of San Francisco, supervises about 230 nursing students.

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She also works as a nurse at John Muir Health.

According to a report by KQED on Tuesday, the registered nurse was arrested by ICE agents at her residence in Lodi, California, before being taken to a detention facility in Stockton.

She was subsequently transferred between several facilities, including one in El Paso, Texas, before being moved to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Centre, where she remains held, NBC Bay Area reported.

Lawani has an extensive academic and professional background.

She holds a PhD in Nursing and a master’s degree in Clinical Nurse Leadership from the University of San Diego, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from California State University, Sacramento.

Her professional experience includes caring for patients with cardiopulmonary conditions, stroke, cystic fibrosis and orthopaedic conditions in acute care and hospice settings.

Her research focuses on palliative care, healthcare utilisation among patients with advanced cancer, support for chronically ill older adults and end-of-life care.

She also mentors first-generation nursing students and promotes diversity and health equity in the nursing profession.

Her immigration case dates back to 2007, when she entered the United States on a visitor visa and subsequently applied for asylum.

The Department of Homeland Security said her asylum application was denied in 2013, while an immigration judge issued a final removal order on August 6 of that year.

However, her lawyer, Natalia Vieira Santanna, told KCRA 3 that the judge also granted Lawani withholding of removal to Nigeria after determining that she was more likely than not to face persecution if returned to the country.

Santanna maintained that the decision prevented the US government from deporting her client to Nigeria.

She also said Lawani’s work permit remains valid until April 2029.

The Department of Homeland Security, however, insisted that Lawani had received due process and would remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.

She received due process and was issued a final order of removal on August 6, 2013.

She will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States, the department said in a statement to KCRA 3.

It added that having work authorisation did not automatically confer legal immigration status in the country.

Her continued detention has triggered appeals from relatives, colleagues, healthcare workers and elected officials seeking her release.

Her brother, Samuel Lawani, described her as a dedicated healthcare professional, telling KCRA 3, To simply put it, she is a lifesaver.

He added that he was prepared to do everything possible to secure her release.

The dean of the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions, Eileen Fry-Bowers, also expressed concern about the impact of Lawani’s absence on students and the institution.

She said the detention was affecting students and faculty who depended on Lawani’s mentorship, as well as curriculum development and partnerships established by the professor.

The National Nurses United union also called for her immediate release and return home in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The union described Lawani as a hardworking and dedicated nurse who was valued by her patients, students and community.

It urged John Muir Health and the University of San Francisco to use their influence to help secure her release.

United States Congressman Josh Harder has equally appealed to the Department of Homeland Security to release Lawani and allow her to return to California while her case proceeds.

In a statement on November 10, Harder argued that her longstanding compliance with authorities, absence of a criminal record and strong community connections provided no apparent public safety justification for her continued detention far from home.

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His office also disclosed that he had written to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin requesting clarification on the proposed country of removal and the reasons for Lawani’s continued detention.