EXCLUSIVE — After nearly two decades in the United States, Amos Sheik Massaquoi, 55, a former Liberian combatant accused of egregious human rights abuses including torture, extrajudicial killings, and the recruitment of child soldiers, has been deported to Liberia. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the removal, stating Massaquoi allegedly served as chief bodyguard to a former leader in Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia and is believed to have personally participated in and ordered atrocities during Liberia’s civil wars from 1989 to 2003. ICE Chicago Field Office Director Frank Padula emphasized, “If you are a confirmed human rights violator, and you believe you can hide in the United States, you are mistaken. ICE will pursue, arrest and remove any individuals who committed atrocities abroad and ensure our communities are not used as a sanctuary from accountability.” Massaquoi legally entered the U.S. in 2006 but overstayed his visa, leading to his arrest by Homeland Security Investigations in 2019. Although initially granted bond, he was taken back into custody by ICE in April 2025 for failing to comply with release terms, and an immigration judge subsequently ordered his removal. The investigation and deportation highlight ICE’s commitment to pursuing individuals with alleged histories of war crimes and human rights violations, with the agency having arrested over 520 individuals and removed 1,178 such violators since 2003.
Adapted from: U.S. News Today on Fox News
