ICE Arrests African Migrant Who Claimed to Be Gay for Asylum, Then Married Sheriff’s Daughter

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

ICE Arrests African Migrant Who Claimed to Be Gay for Asylum, Then Married Sheriff’s Daughter

Washington D.C. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a Mauritanian national, Selah Dine Habib (also known as Habib Selah), after federal investigators discovered he allegedly submitted a fraudulent asylum claim based on homosexuality before marrying an American woman and working as a taxpayer-funded corrections officer in Portland, Indiana .

Habib, 28, a native of Mauritania in northwest Africa, was taken into custody on May 21, 2026, and remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings . According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) , Habib entered the United States illegally in March 2023 near Lukeville, Arizona, and was released into the country by the Biden administration . “He entered the country illegally in March 2023 near Lukeville, Arizona, and was released into the country by the Biden administration, where he was reportedly hired as a corrections officer in Indiana,” DHS stated .

Upon entering the United States, Habib filed an asylum application in which he claimed to be homosexual . In Mauritania, same-sex conduct is criminalized, and individuals perceived as LGBTQ face severe persecution, including the risk of capital punishment under the country’s interpretation of Islamic law . Federal law allows migrants to make LGBTQ-specific asylum claims if they can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country based on sexual orientation or gender identity . However, DHS now alleges that Habib’s claim was fraudulent . “His pending asylum application is believed to be fraudulent, as he applied based on homosexuality in 2023 but married a woman in 2025,” officials said .

Investigators reportedly discovered that Habib married an American woman in September 2025 — approximately two years after filing his asylum claim based on homosexuality . According to local outlet WIBC, which first broke the story, the woman he married is Chelsea, the stepdaughter of Jay County Sheriff Larry Ray Newton . Wedding photos and videos from the ceremony were shared on social media, showing Sheriff Newton posing with his family and delivering a speech to wedding guests . These publicly available images ultimately drew the attention of federal authorities, who began scrutinizing Habib’s immigration status .

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Before his arrest, Habib was employed as an unarmed correctional officer at the Jay County Jail in Portland, Indiana . Sheriff Larry Ray Newton confirmed that Habib was hired by the department before he married the sheriff’s stepdaughter, meaning his employment was not a direct result of the marriage . During the hiring process, Habib presented a Social Security card and a driver’s license, and the Jay County Auditor’s Office confirmed that he passed the federal E-Verify employment-authorization check .

“I am able to confirm that Mr. Habib submitted an I-9 with documentation, and an E-Verify Check was completed at the time of employment. The report came back as employment authorized,” the Jay County Auditor’s Office told WIBC . The Auditor’s Office also noted that departments are responsible for completing background checks and other screenings before submitting new employees, and any discrepancies flagged by the E-Verify system would have halted the onboarding process immediately .

Habib is currently being held at the Clay County Jail detention facility in Brazil, Indiana, pending removal proceedings . According to WIBC, he is contesting a final deportation order from the United States . ICE issued a statement following the arrest, emphasizing its commitment to enforcing immigration laws: “To be clear: Work authorization does NOT give someone legal status to be in our country” . The agency added that Habib “will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive full due process under federal law” .

The Department of Homeland Security also commented on the broader implications of the case: “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE is restoring law and order. Illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities, especially in positions of law enforcement” . The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has prioritized the arrest and deportation of individuals who entered the country illegally or are accused of gaming the asylum system . The administration has also focused on ensuring that individuals with pending immigration cases do not hold positions within law enforcement .

While the case has drawn significant attention as an apparent example of asylum fraud, legal observers have noted that the situation may be more nuanced than it initially appears . Some legal experts have pointed out that marriage to a woman does not automatically prove that an asylum applicant lied about their sexual orientation, as individuals may identify as bisexual or may have married due to cultural, religious, or family pressure . The U.S. government would need to present additional evidence beyond the marriage itself to successfully prove immigration fraud in court . As of this report, DHS has not released further details about the specific contents of Habib’s asylum application or any additional evidence supporting the fraud allegation .

Mauritania, Habib’s country of origin, has been cited by human rights organizations as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for LGBTQ individuals. According to the Human Dignity Trust, the country imposes severe penalties for same-sex conduct, including the death penalty in certain cases . This context underscores the high stakes of legitimate LGBTQ asylum claims from the region while also highlighting why fraudulent claims are considered particularly damaging to the integrity of the asylum system .