Video Captures Tense Moment Kenyan Man Was Arrested by ICE Officers in the US
- A video posted on TikTok by Mkenya Marekani showed a Kenyan man being pulled over and detained by ICE officers during a routine traffic stop in the US
- ICE officers told the man his name appeared on a wanted list over an alleged visa overstay, and he calmly asked to make a phone call before being taken away
- The arrest drew widespread reactions online, coming months after another Kenyan, Cyrus Thairu, was detained at a Texas checkpoint while working as a truck driver
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A Kenyan man living in the United States found himself surrounded by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after a routine traffic stop turned into a detention that has since gone viral.
Source: UGC
The footage, shared on TikTok by the account Mkenya Marekani, shows the man seated in the driver's seat of a vehicle as ICE officers closed in on each side.
A passenger in the back seat recorded the exchange, capturing the increasingly tense atmosphere as it unfolded in real time.
ICE officers order man out of vehicle
The officers instructed the man to step out of the car, informing him that he was being placed under arrest.
They cited his name appearing on a wanted list linked to an alleged overstay of his visa.
Visibly unsettled by the news, the man remained composed and made a simple request before complying.
"Can I request to make one call?" he asked the officers surrounding his vehicle.
The officers told him he would have access to a phone once they arrived at the station.
As the situation developed, they also sought to clarify that his case was civil rather than a criminal in nature, a distinction that is common in immigration enforcement actions but offered little immediate reassurance in the moment.
He was then removed from the vehicle while the passenger continued filming.
The TikTok post below has a video showing what unfolded between the ICE officers and the Kenyan man.
Reactions to the Arrest Video
The video drew a wave of responses from Kenyans online, with many weighing in on both the conduct of the officers and the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Clem_korro said:
"I have to give credit to ICE for making that arrest with civility and respect. But the Kenyan man also showed respect to the law enforcement officers. It's a sad situation but at least it was handled with decency and respect."
Rose_Murage wrote:
"Haven't seen such calm ICE guys on the internet for a while."
Her commented:
"Never tell a soul if you have visa problems."
mayolo said:
"This guy must have been set up."
Djsylo_Lastborn added:
"Someone close to him must have set him up."
Kenyan trucker Cyrus Thairu arrested in Texas
The incident follows a similar case from earlier in the year.
A Kenyan national named Cyrus Thairu, who worked as a truck driver, was arrested on 26 March 2026 while transporting goods from Illinois to Texas.
Officers stopped him at a checkpoint near the Mexico border and took him into custody, bringing his journey to an abrupt halt.
The two cases have amplified anxieties among Kenyans living in the United States, particularly those navigating complex immigration situations.
Trump administration names next Africans in US
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a United States federal judge removed the last legal barrier standing between the Trump administration and its plan to strip Temporary Protected Status from roughly 5,000 Ethiopians living in the country.
US District Judge Brian Murphy issued the ruling, lifting a temporary stay that had previously blocked the termination of humanitarian protections for Ethiopian nationals.
With this decision, Ethiopia becomes the final country on the Trump administration's list of nations whose TPS designations have been fully revoked.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
