University of San Francisco (USF) assistant professor and nurse practitioner Dr. Ann Lawani, 39, was arrested at her Lodi home on September 16, 2026 and transferred through multiple ICE facilities before arriving at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, according to her attorney Natalia Vieira Santana and reports from Daily Mail, Clarin and KION Central Coast. Lawani, a Nigerian national, entered the United States on a visitor visa in 2007, overstayed, and received a final order of removal on August 6, 2013. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says she remains detained pending removal.
Lawani’s role at USF includes directing a program that serves more than 200 master’s‑level nursing students across three campuses and providing clinical care at John Muir Health. Her sudden detention three weeks into the autumn semester forced the university to scramble for faculty coverage, which dean Eileen Fry‑Bowers described as “a bomb dropped into our school.” Former students reported feeling “their stomach just dropped” upon learning of the arrest.
Lawani’s legal team filed a federal habeas corpus petition arguing that a 2013 immigration judge granted her withholding of removal, a protection that allows her to remain in the United States and work legally through 2029. The attorney also noted that ICE removed Lawani’s name from the public detainee locator system during her transfers, leaving her family unable to confirm her whereabouts.
Congressional representatives have joined the campus outcry. Rep. Josh Harder (D‑CA) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin on October 20 requesting Lawani’s release on humanitarian parole or bond, stating there is “no apparent public safety justification” for her continued detention. State Sen. Jerry McNerney also pledged to pressure federal officials. Lawani’s supporters have launched a Change.org petition that has gathered more than 5,000 signatures and a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $22,000 for legal costs.
While critics argue the detention is unjust, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies remain focused on upholding the law and protecting American communities. ICE’s action against Lawani reflects the administration’s commitment to enforce removal orders and deter unlawful presence, a stance that many local residents view as essential for public safety.
What’s next: A federal judge is expected to rule on Lawani’s habeas corpus petition in the coming weeks. The university and lawmakers say they will continue to monitor the case and advocate for a resolution that allows Lawani to return to her teaching and clinical duties in San Francisco.
Sources: dailymail.com, clarin.com, kioncentralcoast.com
