Christian Writer Samuel Sey, Who Defended Deportations, Held for ICE in Ohio
The Ghana-born commentator has not been charged with a crime. Religion News Service reports that federal officials say he will be deported. Supporters call it a paperwork problem.
See where this is ›HAMILTON, Ohio —
Samuel Sey, a conservative Christian writer known for arguing that Christian ethics demand deporting people in the country illegally, is being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Butler County jail in Ohio, The Roys Report reported.
See where this is ›Jail records show Sey, 39, was booked in on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 21. He has not been charged with a crime, and as of Friday afternoon his jail status was listed as “Hold for ICE,” according to The Roys Report and Nigeria's Peoples Gazette. On Oct. 25, Religion News Service reported that the Department of Homeland Security says Sey will be deported.
Sey was born in Ghana, moved to Canada in the 1990s and came to the United States in 2022 to marry a woman in Ohio, The Roys Report said. He has said he did not have permanent residency and could not legally work in the U.S. He sought financial support while writing for The Daily Wire, World, Turning Point USA, Liberty University's Falkirk Center and Founders Ministries.
See where this is ›Much of his writing has been about race. He argued that critical race theory and ideas such as systemic racism and white privilege do not fit with the gospel. He also strongly backed President Donald Trump's mass deportation plans, writing last year: “Christian ethics do not denounce deportations. They demand it.”
Supporters say the detention is a mistake. Allie Beth Stuckey, author of “Toxic Empathy,” wrote on X that “ICE did not come to his home” and called the matter “a paperwork issue,” adding that she could not share all the details. Other users on social media welcomed the arrest.
See where this is ›The reports Watchman News reviewed included no comment from Sey himself. As of Monday it was not clear whether he was still in custody or when he might be removed.
What we don't know yet: The government's full reasons for holding Sey have not been made public. Religion News Service reported that the Department of Homeland Security says he will be deported, while his supporters call it a paperwork problem. Whether he will be released or removed, and when, is still unknown. We are still gathering details.
