A 12-year-old boy born to a Nigerian mother and a U.S. military serviceman is facing deportation after authorities questioned his citizenship. The case, unfolding in Alaska, has drawn significant attention as U.S. immigration officials are seeking a DNA test to confirm the boy’s link to his father, a naturalized U.S. citizen who previously served in the military.
Father Refuses DNA Test
The boy’s father has refused to take the DNA test, according to the child’s lawyer. The child resides in Anchorage and could be deported alongside his mother. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has requested genetic proof of paternity to establish the boy’s citizenship.
Margaret Stock, an attorney with Cascadia Cross Border Law Group in Anchorage, Alaska, told Newsweek: “The child can't establish he's a citizen, and right now, the government's trying to deport him.” She added: “He's not in detention yet. They haven't come and grabbed him and put him in a detention center, but they've got him in deportation proceedings. So, it's really important for him to prove his citizenship in order to stop them from deporting him.”
Background of the Case
According to the legal team, the boy was born in Turkey to his Nigerian mother while his father, Bolanle Meshach Akinleye, was serving in the U.S. military. The family later moved to the United States on a visitor visa. The attorney noted that officials are continuing with deportation proceedings despite what she describes as strong supporting evidence, including photographs, videos of birthday celebrations, and other personal records demonstrating a father-son relationship.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson stated that the boy and his mother were in the country illegally and had not proven citizenship claims. The spokesperson also suggested voluntary self-deportation options, saying: “Parents can take control of their departure with the CBP Home app and reserve the chance to come back the right legal way. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the US the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
Broader Implications
This case comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing challenges to birthright citizenship and a 2025 executive order that aims to limit it. If the court upholds stricter rules, more cases like this could follow, where individuals may need DNA tests to prove citizenship. The attorney added: “So, if Trump is successful at the US Supreme Court in overturning the 14th Amendment, we're going to see a lot more cases like this. In fact, we'll see hundreds of thousands of cases like this.”
A court hearing in the boy’s case is scheduled for January 2027, while his mother’s asylum application remains pending.
