A Kenyan man who once worked as a state accountant in Michigan has voluntarily left the United States, citing fears of targeted deportation under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration enforcement drive.
Samuel Kangethe, a father of three, said the uncertainty surrounding his long-running immigration case left him living in “constant limbo.” He first arrived in the U.S. in 2009 on a student visa, attending Lansing Community College before transferring to Norwood University. He later married and obtained conditional residency, but immigration authorities repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of his first marriage, sparking a court battle that dragged on for years without resolution.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused further delays, and Kangethe’s case was eventually dropped from the court docket without a ruling. By then, Trump’s administration had intensified deportation efforts, and Kangethe feared his unresolved status would make him a prime target.
“A person like me with a case in the court, I check all the boxes of people they will start with,” he said.
Although now married to an American citizen his second marriage the father of three said the constant need to “lay low” was incompatible with family life. “Does ‘lay low’ mean that I can’t take my kids to their game, their orchestra concert, or their first day of school? How can a father protect and provide for his family when he’s in hiding?” he asked.
Kangethe decided to “self-deport,” returning to Kenya earlier this year, while his wife and children remain in the U.S. legally. The family is now grappling with the emotional and logistical challenges of separation.
His decision comes as the Trump administration, in May 2025, introduced an incentive program for voluntary departures. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would offer up to Ksh129,000 (about $1,000) and cover commercial flight costs for undocumented immigrants who agree to leave the country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urged those interested to apply through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app.
For Kangethe, the financial incentive was secondary to securing peace of mind. “Leaving was my way of protecting my family,” he said, adding that the alternative living in fear of an abrupt arrest was no longer an option.
