Kenyan arrested by US immigration authorities for overstaying visa

ICE confirmed that its Seattle office arrested Stanley Robert Kungu Muthee during a traffic stop on Monday.

According to information provided to Fox News, Muthee entered the United States on February 6, 2019, on a B-2 tourist visa but did not leave when required.

At the time of his arrest, Muthee was reportedly wearing a jacket belonging to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families and had an employee identification card.

The department confirmed that Muthee had worked for the agency since August 16, 2024.

In a statement, the department’s Director of Communications, Nancy Gutierrez, said Muthee had presented documentation indicating he was authorised to work in the United States when he was hired.

The documents included a valid United States Citizenship and Immigration Services number with no expiration date, she said, adding that the department had not been notified of any change in his immigration status.

The arrest prompted ICE to criticise the employment of individuals it considers to be unlawfully present in government agencies responsible for children’s safety and welfare.

US immigration rules distinguish between authorisation to work and lawful immigration status.

In some circumstances, individuals with pending asylum claims may qualify for employment authorisation while their immigration cases are being processed.

However, a work permit does not, by itself, grant lawful immigration status or guarantee protection from deportation.