Tuesday, August 12,
2025 - A Kenyan man, identified as Samuel Kangethe, has returned to Kenya
after 16 years in the United States, citing fears over President Donald Trump’s
tougher immigration policies.
Kangethe, a former State of Michigan Accountant, first moved
to the U.S. in 2009 on a student visa, studying at Lansing Community College
before transferring to Norwood University.
He later married and obtained conditional residency, but
immigration officials questioned the legitimacy of his first marriage, sparking
a protracted court case that was stalled for years due to COVID-19 delays.
The matter was eventually dropped without a ruling.
Amid Trump’s heightened enforcement against unlawful
immigrants, Kangethe felt increasingly vulnerable.
“With a case in court, I check all the boxes of people they
will start with,” he said.
His reluctance to “lay low” stemmed from wanting to remain
present in his children’s lives without fear of arrest.
Although remarried to an American for seven years, Kangethe
chose to leave, leaving behind his wife and three children, who remain in the
U.S. legally.
He said the uncertainty and the constant need to hide made
life unbearable.
His decision coincided with a May 2025 U.S. Department of
Homeland Security offer of up to $1,000 (Ksh129,000) and free airfare for
undocumented immigrants willing to self-deport.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem encouraged applications through
the CBP Home app.
Kangethe insists leaving was the only way to protect his family, though the separation has left them uncertain about the future.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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