The U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, has denied Nigerian woman Adedoja Alayande’s request for release from an immigration detention facility after the judge deemed her “a danger” to society, given her past records of burglary and child abuse. 

Ms Alayande had petitioned the court to challenge her continued ICE detention, asserting authorities have no reason to hold her. She appeared pro se rather than retain a lawyer to argue her case before District Judge Charles Eskridge.

The Nigerian woman entered the United States in 2018 and remained in the country long after her visitor visa expired. ICE agents summoned her in 2020 over the alleged overstay, but it remains unclear whether she honoured the invitation or how the matter subsequently panned out.

But by June 2025, the police in Texas arrested Ms Alayande and charged her to court for burgling a house and causing injury to a child. 

ICE waded into the matter and requested custody of the Nigerian woman, given that she was still a person of interest in a non-immigrant visa overstay charge. Thereafter, Ms Alayande was moved from a police cell to an ICE detention facility in September 2025.

She tried to apply for bail in November 2025, but the judge denied her request, ruling “she posed a danger to persons and property based on her arrest and subsequent criminal charges.”

Undeterred, Ms Alayande sought another bond hearing in December 2025. The court again refused, finding no material change in circumstances to justify a different outcome.

“Release on bond was again denied because the IJ found no change in circumstances that would warrant a different decision about release,” court filings stated.

Ms Alayande filed an application for habeas corpus, a decision that can invalidate her detention and deem her arrest unlawful. If granted, a court will order her release. She maintained that there was no concrete evidence to show she was either a flight risk or a danger to society.

But ICE floored her arguments with a motion for summary judgment. Prosecutors justified her detention, citing USC §1226, the section that applies to undocumented aliens pending removal from the country.

Ms Alayande, who was representing herself, did not oppose the government’s motion or even counter the prosecutors until the window for response expired.

After reviewing her petition and noting her failure to contest the summary judgment motion alongside the burglary, child abuse, and visa overstay allegations, Judge Eskridge sided with prosecutors and ordered that she remain in ICE custody pending the conclusion of her deportation proceedings to Nigeria.

“The petition for writ of habeas corpus by petitioner Adedoja Alayande is denied,” Mr Eskridge wrote in his ruling on February 9.