AYV News, January 15, 2026
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, has revealed that close to fifty-two Sierra Leoneans are currently in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention awaiting deportation to Sierra Leone.
Speaking in an interview with Truth Media in Sierra Leone, Minister Kabba said, as part of negotiations to end the full visa restrictions, the United States Government has requested that Sierra Leone accept third-party nationals, adding that Sierra Leone is considering accepting nationals from West Africa only, under the refugee law.
The U.S. has implemented a full visa ban on Sierra Leonean nationals, effective January 1, 2026, under Presidential Proclamation 10998, suspending most immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance due to “severe deficiencies” in identity management, high visa overstay rates, and lack of cooperation on deportations.
Exceptions exist for green card holders, dual nationals using non-banned passports, and diplomats, but generally, most Sierra Leoneans are barred from entry, though they can still apply for visas, which will likely be denied.
The full suspension of visa issuance for nationals from Sierra Leone came as a result of the “woeful inadequacies” in Sierra Leone’s passport and identity systems, significant visa overstay rates (e.g., 35.83% for student visas), and failure to accept deportees.
