Kentucky State University women’s basketball player Aminata Seck was supposed to be on a team trip to New York.
Instead, the 26-year-old senior from Senegal has spent more than six weeks in federal immigration custody after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Aug. 7, 2026.
Seck was traveling with the Kentucky State basketball team when she was detained, according to her attorney and multiple reports.
What has happened since has raised questions about her immigration case, her access to medical care and her ability to remain in contact with her attorney.
A Visa Issue Became an Immigration Case
Seck came to the United States from Senegal in 2019 on a student visa.
Her attorney, Sadiqa Reynolds, has said Seck’s immigration problems may have involved a missed deadline while Seck was undergoing back surgery. Reynolds has described the situation as a paperwork issue and said Seck did not understand that she had an immigration hearing or removal order.
The Department of Homeland Security has provided a different account.
DHS says Seck legally entered the United States in September 2019 but overstayed her authorized period. The agency says an immigration judge issued a final removal order on Sept. 8, 2025, after Seck failed to appear for an immigration hearing.
DHS says Seck will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
That leaves a significant dispute at the center of the case: what Seck knew about her immigration hearing and removal order, and why she did not appear.
Her legal team is challenging the circumstances surrounding the case.
Her Attorney Says She Has Been Moved Multiple Times
Since her Aug. 7 arrest, Seck has reportedly been transferred among multiple detention facilities.
Reynolds told reporters that Seck has been held in facilities in Kentucky and Chicago, including locations in Clay, Clark and Grayson counties.
At one point, Reynolds traveled to the Grayson County Detention Center to see her client and was told Seck had been moved to a medical facility.
She was not given the location of the hospital, according to Reynolds.
Reynolds has said that the transfers have made it difficult to maintain consistent contact with Seck and monitor her condition.
Then There Is Seck’s Knee Injury
The immigration case is only part of the story.
Seck was already dealing with a significant knee injury when she was detained.
Her attorney has said Seck has an ACL injury and has experienced substantial pain while in custody. Reynolds has also raised concerns about access to basic treatment, saying Seck had at times received only ibuprofen and had difficulty getting access to ice.
Reynolds has said Seck needs surgery.
DHS disputes the suggestion that Seck has been denied medical care.
The agency said Seck was wearing a leg brace when she was arrested and that she was referred to a local hospital on Sept. 21 for treatment of knee pain.
DHS also said ICE detention facilities provide access to medical, dental and mental-health services as well as emergency care.
So once again, the two accounts differ.
Seck’s attorney says the medical care has been inadequate and inconsistent. DHS says she is receiving treatment.
Why Her Location Has Become Another Issue
There is another wrinkle.
The Associated Press reported this week that ICE stopped publicly listing the locations of thousands of detainees who have final removal orders in its online detainee locator system.
That change has made it more difficult for attorneys and family members to determine where some detainees are being held.
USA TODAY reported that Seck was not appearing in ICE’s online detainee locator even though she remained listed at the Grayson County Detention Center.
Her attorney has said she has spoken with Seck only a handful of times since the detention began.
Seck Was a Key Player for Kentucky State
Before her detention, Seck was one of Kentucky State’s key players.
The 6-foot-4 center started 20 of 26 games during the 2025-26 season and averaged:
| Statistic | 2025-26 |
| Points | 11.7 PPG |
| Rebounds | 7.3 RPG |
| Blocks | 1.4 BPG |
| Starts | 20 |
| Games | 26 |
She earned Third-Team All-SIAC honors and received the conference’s Elite 16 award for academic achievement. She also recorded a career-best 30 points against Lane College and grabbed 16 rebounds against Clark Atlanta.
For Kentucky State, this is not simply an immigration story.
It is also the story of a college athlete who was preparing for another basketball season and instead has spent weeks in federal custody.
What We Know
- Aug. 7, 2026: ICE detained Seck at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport while she was traveling with Kentucky State’s basketball team.
- Seck is a 26-year-old senior from Senegal who entered the United States in 2019 on a student visa.
- Her attorney says she missed an immigration-related deadline while dealing with medical issues and disputes whether Seck knew about an immigration hearing or removal order.
- DHS says Seck overstayed her authorized period and that an immigration judge issued a final removal order on Sept. 8, 2025, after she failed to appear for an immigration hearing.
- Seck has been transferred among multiple detention facilities.
- Her attorney has raised concerns about treatment for a serious knee injury and says Seck needs surgery.
- DHS says Seck was taken to a hospital on Sept. 21 for treatment of knee pain.
- Kentucky State has declined to publicly discuss the case, citing privacy concerns.
The Bigger Question
Aminata Seck’s case now sits at the intersection of college basketball, immigration enforcement and access to medical care while detained.
There are important facts that remain disputed, particularly surrounding the immigration hearing and the adequacy of Seck’s medical treatment.
For now, Seck remains in ICE custody while her legal team works on her case.
And the basketball player who was supposed to be traveling with her Kentucky State teammates is still waiting for the next chapter of her life to begin.
