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A judge has allowed Kentucky State center Aminata Seck to reopen her immigration case, a move that pauses a prior removal order and gives the detained athlete a new chance to make her case in court. The decision, her attorney says, also strengthens a separate federal challenge to the legality of her detention.
Judge reopens case and rescinds removal order
Memphis Immigration Court Judge Kelly Lake granted a motion to reopen filed on behalf of Seck, according to her attorney, Hishem Alsalman, who spoke with Front Office Sports. The judge also rescinded the existing removal order, clearing the way for Seck to present her defenses before an immigration judge.
The court found that Seck had shown she did not receive notice of a prior hearing. Seck contends she was not notified of the immigration hearing that the Department of Homeland Security says she missed — a missed appearance that DHS says led to the final removal order.
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Detention, medical issues and disputed timelines
Seck, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-4 center from Dakar, Senegal, has been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since Aug. 7 while traveling with Kentucky State’s women’s basketball team. She was detained at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport before the team left for a tournament.
Alsalman says Seck has been moved among four detention facilities and has faced significant health problems while in custody, including an ongoing ACL injury and episodes of seizures. “These are not circumstances that Aminata chose for herself,” he told Front Office Sports.
In its own statement, DHS said Seck received a final order of removal on Sept. 8, 2025, after failing to appear at her hearing. The agency added that medical staff observed her wearing a leg brace during an entrance exam and that she was taken to a hospital for knee pain on Sept. 21, 2026, weeks after arriving in ICE custody. The DHS statement also included the remark: “Being in detention is a choice.”
What the ruling means now
The judge’s decision does not immediately end Seck’s detention, but it alters her legal position.
- Reopened proceedings: Seck will be able to seek relief and argue her case anew before an immigration judge.
- Bond eligibility: She is now eligible to request a bond hearing that could allow her release while proceedings continue.
- Habeas corpus: The ruling potentially bolsters a federal habeas corpus petition challenging the lawfulness of her detention, a case currently pending in the Western District of Kentucky.
Next court dates and statements
Alsalman said Seck is scheduled to appear in immigration court on Nov. 20. He characterized the ruling as an important step toward ensuring Seck can be heard through proper legal channels. “We are grateful that Aminata will now have the opportunity to be heard and to have her case considered through the proper legal process,” he said.
Kentucky State officials declined to comment. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
