At Campos Law Firm, we closely monitor developments in U.S. immigration policy to protect our clients’ rights and future. On October 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker of the District of Arizona ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to facilitate the release and return to the U.S. of Ahmed Soliman, a 30-year-old Egyptian man deported to Equatorial Guinea, a country with which he had no ties.
The decision became public on October 8. It is an order in an individual case, but it clarifies the rights you have if a judge protected you from removal to your home country and the government tries to send you somewhere else.
Who Is Ahmed Soliman, and Why Was He Protected?
Soliman came to the U.S. in 1998 as a child and grew up in Phoenix. He became a permanent resident in 2021 but lost that status after a 2023 conviction for aggravated assault and drug possession, which led to removal proceedings.
On October 1, 2025, an immigration judge ordered him removed to Egypt but granted him deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The judge found he faced a “clear probability of torture” in Egypt because of his sexual orientation and his politically prominent family. DHS did not appeal that decision.
What Happened in Equatorial Guinea?
According to the court order, the government deported him to Equatorial Guinea on April 28, 2026. He was not told his destination until shortly before the flight, and when he asked for a fear interview, he was told it was too late. The government relied on “diplomatic assurances” from Equatorial Guinea that deportees would not be mistreated.
There, he was held under armed guard at a hotel in Malabo. The record describes beatings and threats, including an episode in which a police officer shouted “shoot him” while he knelt, which Reuters published on video. On September 11, he was arrested after speaking to the press and has since been held incommunicado, with no known charges. The government did not dispute these facts in court.
What Exactly Did the Judge Order?
The judge declared that removing him without notice of the destination country and without a meaningful chance to object violated due process under the Fifth Amendment. He also ordered the government to:
- Facilitate his release and return: arrange travel documents, pay for transport to a U.S. port of entry, and admit or parole him on arrival.
- Preserve his protection: his CAT deferral as to Egypt remains in effect.
- Not send him to another third country without prior notice and a chance to raise his fear before a neutral judge, with the right to appeal.
- Not facilitate his transfer to Egypt from Equatorial Guinea.
- Report to the court within three days and every seven days after that until he returns.
The judge denied the government’s request to put the order on hold during an appeal. In its first report, filed October 9, the government said it is trying to locate him and is “beginning the process” to facilitate his return.
What Does This Mean If You Have Withholding or CAT Protection?
The order benefits Soliman alone: it does not require the government to bring back other deportees. Third-country deportations are also still happening; Human Rights Watch documented 536 to Africa between January 2025 and August 2026.
But the case shows that protection granted by an immigration judge still carries weight, and that a federal court can step in when due process is ignored. If you have a removal order with withholding or CAT protection:
- Keep a copy of the judge’s decision and make sure your family has one too.
- Have an attorney identified who can act quickly if you are detained.
- If you are told about a third country, say right away that you are afraid to go there and ask to speak with your attorney.
- Document the specific risks you would face, including those tied to your sexual orientation, religion, or opinions.
You can also read our analysis of the Human Rights Watch report documenting 536 deportations to Africa.
Protect Your Immigration Status with Campos Law Firm
Protection won in court deserves to be defended as seriously as it was earned. Our immigration attorneys, with offices in Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Indiana and virtual service in Florida, can review your case and prepare an action plan in case of a possible third-country removal. Campos Law Firm is here to help you.
Do not leave your immigration status to chance. Call us today at +1 (844) 922-6767 to schedule a free, confidential consultation in English or Spanish. Campos Law Firm: Legal Solutions in All Areas of Law.
With information from the court order in A.M.A.S. v. Mullin, No. 2:26-cv-06601 (D. Ariz.), Reuters, The Advocate, and Human Rights Watch.
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