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Delfino N.: Angolan asylum seeker detained by ICE in Lewiston traffic stop

Delfino Nsuka, a FedEx driver from Angola who has lived in Maine since his teens, was handcuffed and detained by ICE despite showing his work permit, then held 15 days before release on bond.

Jan 22, 2026Lewiston, MECountry of origin: Angola

Delfino N.: Angolan asylum seeker detained by ICE in Lewiston traffic stop
Photo via Maine Public

Delfino Nsuka, an asylum seeker from Angola who has lived in Maine since he was a teenager, was pulled over and detained by about half a dozen ICE officers in Lewiston on Jan. 22 while driving home from his job as a FedEx driver. Despite showing his driver's license, work permit and Social Security card, agents handcuffed him and transferred him to a detention facility in Massachusetts. He was released on bond after 15 days in custody; his lawyer said factors working in his favor included entering the country on a visa, having no criminal record, and being married to a U.S. citizen. The arrest moved his asylum case to a more adversarial track, and he said the experience left him feeling unwanted despite his years living in Maine.

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