ICE detains USF nursing professor Ann Lawani at her Lodi home and moves her to Louisiana; DHS says she overstayed a 2007 admission, and Rep. Josh Harder demands her release
ICE arrested Ann Lawani, a Lodi nurse who directs a University of San Francisco nursing program, on September 16, 2026 and moved her to Louisiana. DHS says she overstayed a 2007 admission; Rep. Josh Harder and her university seek her release.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Lawani, who is from Nigeria, has lived in Lodi for 13 years, where she cares for her 83-year-old father, and also works as a nurse at John Muir Health. According to The San Francisco Standard, an immigration judge denied her asylum application in 2013 but ruled that she could not be deported to Nigeria because she faced a risk of persecution there.
Harder's letter says ICE has pursued her removal to an undisclosed third country without giving her or her attorney the relevant documents, and that her location did not appear in ICE's online detainee locator during her transfers. The New York Times first reported her detention on November 10, 2026.
Timeline
3 timeline entries on this page. Dates: September 16, 2026 to November 10, 2026
September 2026
ICE agents arrest Ann Lawani at her home in Lodi
Incident
Federal immigration agents take Lawani from her Lodi home in shackles to a holding facility in Stockton. She is later moved to El Paso and then to an ICE processing center in southern Louisiana.
[01]The San Francisco Standard
Report on Lawani's arrest and detention, with a statement from a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson and statements from USF spokesperson Kellie Samson and Dean Eileen Fry-Bowers.
The San Francisco Standard: She's a USF professor. ICE has held her for the past 8 weeks · The San Francisco StandardArticle text[02]Josh Harder
Harder asks Mullin to have ICE release Lawani under an order of supervision and return her to California, and to give her and her attorney the proposed country of removal, travel documents and the basis for her detention. The letter says an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal to Nigeria and that a federal judge ordered she not be removed while her habeas petition is pending.
Rep. Josh Harder's letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Dr. Ann Lawani · Josh HarderTwo-page letter (PDF), dated October 20, 2026
October 2026
Harder asks Homeland Security Secretary Mullin to release Lawani
Claim
Harder's letter asks DHS to release Lawani under an order of supervision, return her to California and tell her and her attorney the proposed country of removal.
[02]Josh Harder
Harder asks Mullin to have ICE release Lawani under an order of supervision and return her to California, and to give her and her attorney the proposed country of removal, travel documents and the basis for her detention. The letter says an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal to Nigeria and that a federal judge ordered she not be removed while her habeas petition is pending.
Rep. Josh Harder's letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Dr. Ann Lawani · Josh HarderTwo-page letter (PDF), dated October 20, 2026
November 2026
Harder makes his letter public as Lawani's detention draws coverage
Source release
Harder releases the letter with statements from Lawani's brother and the dean of USF's School of Nursing and Health Professions, on the day The New York Times reports her detention.
[03]Josh Harder
Harder's release making his October 20 letter public, with statements from Lawani's brother, Samuel Lawani, and Eileen K. Fry-Bowers, dean of USF's School of Nursing and Health Professions.
Rep. Josh Harder: Harder demands release of local nurse, educator detained in Louisiana on threat of deportation · Josh HarderPress release, November 10, 2026
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Lawani entered the United States legally on a temporary basis on June 7, 2007, and overstayed by failing to depart by July 6, 2007; her work authorization does not give her legal status.
What is disputed
Harder's letter says an immigration judge granted Lawani withholding of removal to Nigeria after finding she would likely face persecution there, that she has held federally authorized employment and complied with immigration requirements, and that a federal judge ordered she not be removed while her habeas petition is pending.
Sources (1)
- The San Francisco Standard: She's a USF professor. ICE has held her for the past 8 weeks · The San Francisco StandardArticle text
Disputed claim
Given Lawani's compliance with immigration requirements, lack of criminal history and community ties, there is no apparent public safety reason to keep her detained thousands of miles from home while her case proceeds.
What is disputed
A DHS spokesperson says Lawani was arrested in a targeted enforcement operation and will remain in ICE custody pending her removal from the country.
Sources (1)
- Rep. Josh Harder's letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Dr. Ann Lawani · Josh HarderTwo-page letter (PDF), dated October 20, 2026
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityDHS spokesperson, in a statement to The San Francisco StandardDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Asked about Lawani on November 11, 2026, the spokesperson called her an "illegal alien" arrested during a targeted enforcement operation and said she will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the country.
"On June 7, 2007, Lawani legally entered the United States on a temporary basis, but in defiance of our laws overstayed her admittance by failing to depart by July 6, 2007"
Defended or excusedResponding to: Lawani entered the United States legally on a temporary basis on June 7, 2007, and overstayed by failing to depart by July 6, 2007; her work authorization does not give her legal status.
Full statement and sources
A DHS spokesperson says Lawani entered the United States legally on a temporary basis in June 2007 but overstayed, calls her an illegal alien arrested in a targeted enforcement operation, and says she will remain in ICE custody pending removal.
After the statement
The spokesperson added: "To be clear: work authorization does not confer legal status in the U.S."
The San Francisco Standard: She's a USF professor. ICE has held her for the past 8 weeks · The San Francisco StandardArticle textWhy this label?
The department says Lawani overstayed her admission, that her work permit does not give her legal status and that she will stay in custody until she is removed, which defends her arrest and detention.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
University of San FranciscoUniversity spokesperson Kellie Samson, in a statement to The San Francisco StandardDirectly involved Before this statement
The university said it has worked to ensure Lawani receives due process under federal law and helped connect her family with an attorney. Samson said that "As a Jesuit Catholic institution, we are called to accompany and support the most vulnerable".
"We will continue to advocate for her release so that she may continue her essential work."
CondemnedCase context: ICE detains USF nursing professor Ann Lawani at her Lodi home and moves her to Louisiana; DHS says she overstayed a 2007 admission, and Rep. Josh Harder demands her release
Full statement and sources
A USF spokesperson calls Lawani an integral part of the university community, says the university helped connect her family with an attorney, and says it will keep advocating for her release so she can return to her work.
After the statement
Eileen Fry-Bowers, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, said Lawani's absence causes real and mounting harm to the students and faculty who rely on her mentorship.
The San Francisco Standard: She's a USF professor. ICE has held her for the past 8 weeks · The San Francisco StandardArticle textWhy this label?
The university says it will keep advocating for Lawani's release, which condemns her continued detention.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(4)
Original text
Rep. Josh Harder's letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Dr. Ann Lawani
Relevant passage: Two-page letter (PDF), dated October 20, 2026
About this source
Harder asks Mullin to have ICE release Lawani under an order of supervision and return her to California, and to give her and her attorney the proposed country of removal, travel documents and the basis for her detention. The letter says an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal to Nigeria and that a federal judge ordered she not be removed while her habeas petition is pending.
- Author
- Rep. Josh Harder
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The San Francisco Standard: She's a USF professor. ICE has held her for the past 8 weeks
Relevant passage: Article text
About this source
Report on Lawani's arrest and detention, with a statement from a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson and statements from USF spokesperson Kellie Samson and Dean Eileen Fry-Bowers.
- Author
- Astrid Kane
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Sen. Jerry McNerney: McNerney condemns ICE for disappearing Lodi nurse and professor Ann Lawani
Relevant passage: Press release, November 11, 2026
About this source
McNerney's statement on Lawani's arrest and transfer to Louisiana, calling on ICE to return her to California.
- Author
- Office of State Sen. Jerry McNerney
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Rep. Josh Harder: Harder demands release of local nurse, educator detained in Louisiana on threat of deportation
Relevant passage: Press release, November 10, 2026
About this source
Harder's release making his October 20 letter public, with statements from Lawani's brother, Samuel Lawani, and Eileen K. Fry-Bowers, dean of USF's School of Nursing and Health Professions.
- Author
- Office of Rep. Josh Harder
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- ICE detains USF nursing professor Ann Lawani at her Lodi home and moves her to Louisiana; DHS says she overstayed a 2007 admission, and Rep. Josh Harder demands her release
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/ice-detains-usf-nursing-professor-ann-lawani
The Dispute Index. "ICE detains USF nursing professor Ann Lawani at her Lodi home and moves her to Louisiana; DHS says she overstayed a 2007 admission, and Rep. Josh Harder demands her release". First published: 2026-11-14. Last updated: 2026-11-14. https://disputeindex.com/cases/ice-detains-usf-nursing-professor-ann-lawani