US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a Kenyan national employed by Washington State’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) over allegations that he overstayed his visa and remained in the United States unlawfully.
ICE confirmed that its Seattle office arrested the Kenyan during a traffic stop on Monday.
According to the agency, he entered the United States on February 6, 2019, on a B-2 tourist visa but failed to leave the country when his authorised stay expired.
At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly wearing a jacket bearing the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families insignia and was in possession of an employee identification card.
The department confirmed that he had worked for the agency since August 16, 2024.
In a statement, DCYF Director of Communications Nancy Gutierrez said the Kenyan had provided documentation indicating that he was authorised to work in the United States when he was hired.
The documents included a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) number that had no expiration date, Gutierrez said, adding that the department had not been notified of any changes to his immigration status.
The arrest has drawn attention to the distinction between employment authorisation and lawful immigration status in the United States.
ICE criticised the employment of individuals it considers to be unlawfully present in government agencies responsible for children’s safety and welfare.
Under U.S. immigration rules, however, permission to work and permission to remain in the country are separate legal questions.
Some individuals, including certain asylum applicants with pending immigration cases, may qualify for employment authorisation while their cases are being processed.
An employment authorisation document does not, by itself, confer lawful immigration status or guarantee protection against deportation.
The circumstances surrounding his employment and immigration status were not fully detailed in the information released by the department.
The arrest over the allegations does not, on its own, establish the outcome of any immigration proceedings against him.
The arrest comes amid increased immigration enforcement in Washington State, where Kenyan immigrants have also faced detention in cases involving unresolved immigration matters.
A September report by a public radio station documented concerns among Kenyan community members and healthcare workers following a series of immigration arrests in the state.
