Africa-Press – Gambia. A soccer coach with an active green card living in Colorado who was detained Thursday by Customs and Border Protection officers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport after travelling overseas has been released, according to his wife, Jennifer James. She said Sulayman Nyang, was returning from a trip to visit family in his homeland, The Gambia for the first time in two decades.
Nyang’s family confirmed that he was released late Friday night and returned to Colorado Saturday morning.
“It was just a shock,” James told 9NEWS Friday. “I couldn’t believe it. I thought he was going to go straight through. He had a two-hour layover. We didn’t think there was going to be any problem.”
James said Nyang was on his way back to Aurora, where he and James, an American citizen, live with their 3-month-old son. James said a Customs officer told her on the phone that the system flagged a 2009 marijuana possession charge, which has been dismissed.
Nyang also pleaded guilty to felony trespassing in 2003. His family and friends thought it was OK for Nyang to travel because those charges were resolved, and his green card had been renewed since then.
“Seeing that he’s been in the country for 25 years, we didn’t think there was a problem,” James said. “I mean, I couldn’t believe it. I kept on asking questions. This doesn’t make sense. What do you mean 2009? He hasn’t done anything. Everything has been dismissed. You know, to explain to me why they won’t give an answer. They won’t explain why. They give two different answers.”
Nyang is a youth soccer coach for the Skyline Soccer Association. Parents said they call him Coach Saul and were surprised to see him get detained.
“I was worried that he was going to maybe encounter some issues,” said Penny Lake, whose son played on Nyang’s team. “But I thought, oh, these are people that have been, you know, speaking out about Palestinian, all kinds of things. And I was like, Coach Saul’s just a youth soccer coach, he’ll be fine.”
Immigration attorney Matt Shaftel said non-citizens with any criminal history should check with an immigration attorney before travelling internationally, even if they do not have a conviction on their record.
“A green card holder, and this happens sometimes, they’re perfectly fine staying in the US,” Shaftel said. “They may be eligible to become a citizen, presuming no recent criminal history, but if they leave, they can be kept out, because certain crimes can keep a lawful permanent resident from being able to re-enter the country if they travel.”
Shaftel also recommends that non-citizens carry certified copies of important documents with them, especially to the airport, where records might not be available. He is also advising his clients to check their social media activity as the Trump administration cites “anti-American speech” as a reason to revoke visas and green cards.
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