The United States has deported a Sierra Leonean national, Prince Solomon Knox, 62, after he was convicted of visa fraud and domestic assault.
Knox, who had also been linked to armed groups in West Africa, arrived back in Sierra Leone on March 1 following his removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Knox entered the U.S. on April 14, 2004, through Chicago O’Hare International Airport. However, his activities soon attracted the attention of U.S. authorities.
In 2006, ICE launched an investigation into fraud within the refugee resettlement program, which led to Knox. Witnesses testified that he had affiliations with multiple combatant groups, including the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a rebel group notorious for its brutal tactics, including widespread amputations and the recruitment of child soldiers during Sierra Leone’s civil war.
Following the investigation, a U.S. federal grand jury indicted Knox in December 2006 on charges of visa fraud and making false statements. He was convicted in June 2007 and sentenced to twelve months in prison. An immigration judge later ordered his deportation in 2008, but he was placed under supervision pending removal.
Commenting on the deportation, ICE official Sam Olson emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.
“Foreign nationals, from any country, cannot be allowed to abuse the visa system and migrate to the U.S. fraudulently,” he said.
Knox’s return to Sierra Leone raises questions about whether local authorities will take any further action against him, given his alleged past involvement in armed groups. The government has not yet issued a statement regarding his repatriation.
