Aminata Seck, a 26-year-old basketball player from Senegal, remains in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody more than seven weeks after authorities detained her at a Kentucky airport.
Seck, who plays for Kentucky State University, was traveling with her teammates to New York for a basketball tournament when ICE detained her at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Aug. 7, 2026. Her attorneys are now challenging her continued detention and the immigration order connected to her case.
Aminata Seck was detained at Louisville airport
Seck was preparing to travel with the Kentucky State women’s basketball team when immigration officials took her into custody.
Her attorney, Sadiqa Reynolds, said Seck entered the United States on a student visa in 2019. Reynolds has argued that Seck may have missed a visa-related deadline while recovering from back surgery.
Seck’s legal team also says she did not receive notice of an immigration hearing that later resulted in a removal order.
DHS says Seck missed immigration hearing
The Department of Homeland Security has provided a different account of the case.
DHS said Seck legally entered the United States on Sept. 1, 2019, but later overstayed her authorized stay. The agency said an immigration judge issued a final removal order on Sept. 8, 2025, after Seck failed to appear at an immigration hearing.
DHS said Seck will remain in ICE custody while removal proceedings continue.
Seck’s attorneys dispute the circumstances surrounding the missed hearing. They say she never received notice and are seeking to challenge the removal order.
Attorneys raise concerns about Seck’s health
Seck’s medical condition has also become a major issue in her case.
Her attorneys have raised concerns about an ACL injury and significant pain while she remains in detention. Reports also say she had undergone back surgery before the detention.
PEOPLE reported that Reynolds said Seck had been moved among several detention facilities and received limited treatment for her injury. DHS said Seck was referred to a hospital on Sept. 21.
Another attorney assisting Seck’s case has also reported concerns about seizures. Those reports remain claims from her legal team and have not been independently established by federal authorities.
Kentucky State basketball player remains in custody
Before her detention, Seck was an important player for Kentucky State’s women’s basketball team.
She led the Thorobreds in points and rebounds during the previous season and received the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Elite 16 academic award for a student-athlete.
The 6-foot-4 center from Dakar has received support from people connected to her basketball career as her attorneys continue working on her case.
Kentucky State University has declined to comment publicly, citing privacy concerns.
Seck’s attorneys challenge her detention
Seck’s legal team is pursuing legal options to challenge both her detention and the immigration proceedings.
Her attorneys have argued that the circumstances surrounding the missed hearing need to be reviewed. They are seeking relief through immigration court and federal court.
Meanwhile, DHS maintains that Seck remains subject to a final removal order and will stay in ICE custody pending further proceedings.
The case remains ongoing, and any decision about Seck’s release or removal will depend on the legal proceedings now underway.
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Source: Associated Press, ABC News, PEOPLE, Louisville Courier Journal
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