The Chief Immigration Officer of Sierra Leone, Alusine Kanneh and his delegation have engaged the United States Department of Homeland Security on immigration, customs, and deportations at the U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC

Introducing the Chief Immigration Officer of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the United States thanked Sierra Leone’s Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of State for setting up the meeting for the Sierra Leone Immigration team. Ambassador Wai reiterated the complexities of deportations, and noted that he was grateful that the main actors are in the United States for experience sharing.

Janean A. Ohin, Officer of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detention, and Deportation informed the Sierra Leone Immigration team that ICE is the principal investigative component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, protecting the country from terrorists, criminals, human trafficking and many more.

ICE Officer Janean A. Ohin highlighted the work of ICE, its purpose, especially deportations. She explained how ICE investigates matters, the process of arrest, detention, deportation or removal of illegal people, criminals and aliens. Janean Ohin mentioned the ways of removing inmates from their custody, mostly using passports and birth certificates for interviews.

According to Kanneh, stringent measures should be put in place to ensure that the right people are deported to the true countries of their birth. He cited an instance where the U.S. ICE deported people to Sierra Leone when in fact they were not Sierra Leoneans. He lauded the efforts of ICE working together with other institutions in Sierra Leone in expediting the interviews of inmates and deportations.

“It will be more effective for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE to have an MoU with the Sierra Leone Immigration department so that Immigration Officers will travel to the United States and conduct the deportation interview. There are so many challenges with the current method of conducting interviews for deportation to Sierra Leone. We are in the process of doing the same MoU with UK, and Immigration department of Sierra Leone want to establish the same with United States”, Kannah further requested for information sharing that will equally benefit both countries.

Moreover, Kanneh informed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement that he is currently on policy review of the 1965 Immigration Act.

“Technical assistance, legal expertise are needed to train the staff at the Sierra Leone immigration, and for U.S. ICE to offer short courses in the USA since the country do not have the institutions. Capacity building is key and the Sierra Leone immigration will appreciate collaboration with the United States Immigration, Customs and Enforcement”.

Responding to the request of the Sierra Leone Chief Immigration Officer and team, for an MoU, Janean A. Ohin agreed that U.S ICE do not have an MoU with Sierra Leone currently, but both countries should push for one now. “A small delegation coming to the U.S. ICE to conduct interview for deportations to Sierra Leone worth the investment, and it also promotes collaboration and saves time for the United States. The proposal will be presented to the Removal Division of ICE”, Janean A. Ohin said.

A virtual presentation was done by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Also at the meeting were Ms. Rakie Macarthy, Head of Chancery, Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC, Victor Sheriff, Minister Counselor at the Embassy. With the Chief Immigration Officer of Sierra Leone were Alie Conteh, Director, Admin/Finance, Chester Stevens, Deputy Immigration Officer and Ibrahim Swarray.