African Man Self-deports to Home Country After 16 Years in America, Leaves Wife and 3 Children in US
- An African man who lived in the United States of America for 16 years has self-deported to his home country in Kenya
- He shared the reason for his decision, as he left his wife and three children behind in America to leave for Kenya
- The man also narrated his experience since he moved to America 16 years ago, and opened up about his immigration struggles
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A man from Kenya, Sam Kanghete, has self-deported to his home country after spending 16 years in the United States of America.
He left his wife, Latavia, and their three children at their home in Michigan, USA.
Source: UGC
According to CNN, he left his family in the US without knowing whether he would be able to return.
Kenyan man self-deports from US
Kanghete left his country 16 years ago to attend college in Michigan. He had lived in the US as an immigrant without permanent residency, and that was why he was self-deporting to his home country.
The 39-year-old man who was burdened with anxiety over the possibility of sudden deportation to Kenya decided to return by himself.
He decided in March and prepared for five months before his deportation in August. He used the opportunity to spend time with his family.
Sharing why he self-deported, the man said:
“I decided I would rather take myself out rather than arrive at an airport in shackles. I wanted to come home with my dignity, in one piece.”
How Kenya man prepared for self-deporation
In preparation for his return to his homeland, the Kenyan man resigned from his job as a state accountant in May.
From then on, he spent more time with his family, engaging in lengthy family dinners and evening board games.
On August 17, 2025, he decided to deport himself to Kenya, and he had a conversation and gave last hugs to his wife and their children. His youngest daughter, Ella, was filled with emotion as her dad prepared to leave.
He loaded his five suitcases and two extra bags for his journey. His friend drove him to the Detroit airport to spare his family the heartbreak of rushed goodbyes at the terminal, he said.
His 35-year-old wife, Latavia, said:
“We agreed to say our ‘see you laters’ here at home. Not so much goodbye, but see you later. And Ella, I got extremely emotional just watching her tiny little heart break.”
Man’s battle with US permanent residency
In January 2009, Kanghete arrived in Michigan, USA, on an F-1 student visa. He got married three years later.
His wife at the time helped him apply for a permanent resident status, also known as a green card, but he got a two-year conditional green card.
However, when he wanted to renew it, immigration officials flagged the marriage as fraudulent.
The case continued, and he ultimately divorced his first wife. He met Latavia as a mother who had two children. They married in 2018 and welcomed their daughter together, Ella.
Source: Getty Images
Soon after, Kanghete applied for another marriage-based green card. But his application was denied because of the earlier fraud allegation, he said.
The couple has since spent tens of thousands of dollars on immigration attorneys to fight for Kanghete’s case, without much success.
As US President Donald Trump tightened immigration rules and the crackdown by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, Kanghete decided to self-deport and begin a new life in his home country.
In related stories, a woman narrated how a Nigerian man deported his wife from the UK after taking her there.
Nigerians who have faced deportation from abroad
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously compiled the experience of three Nigerians who have faced deportation.
From various mistakes to visa issues, the article highlighted what led to the deportation of these three Nigerians and how it happened
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
