Josh Harder tells DHS there is no public safety reason to keep Ann Lawani detained
Josh HarderU.S. representative from California, in a letter to the secretary of homeland security
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Harder says Lawani has complied with immigration requirements and has no criminal history, and asks that ICE release her under supervision and return her to California while her case proceeds.
Responding to
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.
“Given her longstanding compliance, lack of criminal history, and substantial community ties, there is no apparent public safety justification for keeping her detained thousands of miles from home while her case proceeds.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
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
On September 16, 2026, federal immigration agents arrested Dr. Ann Lawani, a nurse who directs the University of San Francisco's master's nursing program, at her home in Lodi, California. According to The San Francisco Standard, agents took her to a holding facility in Stockton and then to El Paso before she was moved to an ICE processing center in southern Louisiana, where she remained in custody in mid-November. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson called Lawani an illegal alien arrested in a targeted enforcement operation and said she entered the United States legally in June 2007 on a temporary basis but overstayed. The spokesperson said work authorization does not confer legal status and that she will remain in ICE custody pending removal. Rep. Josh Harder, whose district includes Lodi, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on October 20 asking that Lawani be released under supervision and returned to California. His 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. State Sen. Jerry McNerney and the University of San Francisco have also called for her release.
Source and context
Original text
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.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Harder writes that an immigration judge granted Lawani withholding of removal to Nigeria, that ICE moved her through several states to Louisiana, and that a federal judge ordered she not be removed while her habeas petition is pending.
After the quotation
He asks DHS to give Lawani and her attorney the proposed country of removal, the supporting travel documents and the basis for her continued detention. Harder made the letter public on November 10, 2026.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Harder says nothing about public safety justifies Lawani's detention and asks DHS to release her, which condemns her detention.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseUniversity of San Francisco says it will keep advocating for Ann Lawani's release
University of San Francisco
“We will continue to advocate for her release so that she may continue her essential work.”Read statement
DHS says Ann Lawani overstayed her 2007 admission and will remain in ICE custody
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
“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”Read statement
Jerry McNerney calls ICE's arrest of Ann Lawani an absolute outrage
“Ann Lawani is a highly respected and beloved nurse and professor who lives in my Senate district. ICE disappearing her from her home is an absolute outrage.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Josh Harder tells DHS there is no public safety reason to keep Ann Lawani detained
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/8906-in-a-letter-to-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Josh Harder tells DHS there is no public safety reason to keep Ann Lawani detained". First published: 2026-11-14. Last updated: 2026-11-14. https://disputeindex.com/events/8906-in-a-letter-to-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne