Jackson Kabut Gichema, a Kenyan national, is facing deportation after spending 23 years in the United States.
The 48-year-old was arrested this week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over a 2011 rape conviction.
According to a post on X by ICE Baltimore, Gichema arrived on a visitor’s visa in 2003 but failed to leave after his stay.
“ICE @EROBaltimore arrested Jackson Kabut Gichema, a criminal illegal alien from Kenya, convicted of rape in Baltimore County. Gichema entered the U.S. on a visitor’s visa in 2003, but failed to depart after his stay. He has a final order of removal and will remain in ICE custody,” the post read.
ICE @EROBaltimore arrested Jackson Kabut Gichema, a criminal illegal alien from Kenya, convicted of rape in Baltimore County. Gichema entered the U.S. on a visitor’s visa in 2003, but failed to depart after his stay. He has a final order of removal and will remain in ICE custody. pic.twitter.com/UL0me48Bsg
— ICE Baltimore (@EROBaltimore) March 24, 2026
For nearly two decades, Gichema avoided detection while contributing to the economy, but his past caught up with him following his criminal conviction for sexual assault in Baltimore County. The 2011 rape conviction was upheld by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals despite his appeals.
Under U.S. law, rape is classified as an “aggravated felony,” which removes judicial discretion for non-citizens. Deportation is therefore mandatory.
Gichema is currently held in a high-security ICE facility. His deportation will require Kenyan consular verification of nationality and travel documents, a process that can take weeks or even months. During this time, he will remain in custody as his American life unravels.
ICE prioritises long-term residents with criminal records for “high-impact” removals, a policy that has intensified with tightened border regulations.
Even after years of living under the radar, non-citizens remain vulnerable to U.S. law. Immigration judges have little leeway to grant humanitarian pleas for aggravated felonies.
Gichema’s case comes amid similar cases involving fellow Kenyans.
Kevin Ntabo was arrested at a U.S. airport after returning from Kenya to attend his father’s burial and is now detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Centre.
Reverend James Ngahu Mwangi, despite holding a valid work permit and lawful employment with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, was arrested in November 2025 and is being held at the ICE detention facility in Conroe, Texas.