ICE attempts to deport 12-year-old American child in Alaska over missing paternity document

In the world of immigration enforcement, cases sometimes hinge on paperwork that feels straightforward until it is not. A 12-year-old boy living in Anchorage, Alaska, now faces removal proceedings by ICE even though his legal team insists he holds U.S. citizenship through his father, a naturalized citizen and Navy veteran. The sticking point is the absence of a DNA test to confirm paternity, despite affidavits, military records, photos, videos, and other documents already submitted. His mother, who brought him to the United States on a visitor visa, remains in the country with a pending asylum application. The situation has played out over the past year as federal agencies push forward with deportation steps while the family scrambles to meet demands for proof.

Growing Up in Anchorage With Uncertain Status

You picture a regular kid navigating school and daily life in Alaska while federal paperwork looms over everything. The boy arrived with his Nigerian mother after his birth in Turkey back in December 2013. They settled into Anchorage, where she filed for asylum that remains unresolved. Life moved along until immigration officials started questioning his status in earnest around 2024.

Now the threat of removal hangs there, tied directly to how the government views his connection to his father. The boy has met the man identified as his dad several times, and the father has acknowledged him in writing. Yet without the final piece of genetic verification, officials treat the claim as incomplete. This leaves the child and his mother in a kind of holding pattern that affects where they can go and what comes next.

How the Family Entered the United States

You trace the path that brought them here and see the visitor visa as the legal entry point for both mother and son. The mother had traveled to Turkey on her own visa to give birth, then later made her way to Alaska. Once settled, she pursued asylum while the boy grew up in the community.

Federal records show the pair overstayed the terms of that initial visa, which triggered the current enforcement actions. The father, Bolanle Meshach Akinleye, a 46-year-old naturalized citizen working for the federal government in the Washington, D.C., area, entered the picture through his earlier relationship with the mother during his Navy service in Africa. He has provided some support and contact over the years, but the entry details still shape how authorities classify the family today.

Building a Case for Citizenship Through the Father

You examine the legal route the family took and notice the application for a Certificate of Citizenship filed in May 2024. The claim rests on the father being a U.S. citizen at the time of the boy’s birth, with the required physical presence in the country beforehand. Evidence included the father’s own Certificate of Citizenship, his DD-214 military separation papers, a sworn affidavit of paternity, and supporting materials like family photos and videos.

A DNA test from the father’s brother was also offered to show a blood relation. USCIS reviewed the package and acknowledged parts of it, including the father’s status and written acknowledgment. Still, the agency ultimately denied the N-600 form late last year, stating the blood relationship was not established to their required level of certainty.

The Demand for Genetic Proof Emerges

You follow the back-and-forth and see USCIS insisting on a DNA test as the clearest way to confirm the parent-child link. Officials noted name variations on some records and the timing of certain birth documents as reasons the existing evidence fell short. The Navy already holds the father’s DNA sample from his service, yet the agency has not pulled it for comparison.

Instead, the process stalled when the father declined to provide a fresh sample. This refusal turned a routine verification step into the central barrier. The attorney handling the case has pointed out that such demands appear more frequently in situations involving parents who served overseas, where skepticism runs higher without genetic confirmation.

Court Orders the Father Cannot Seem to Meet

You look at the legal pressure placed on the father and find multiple court orders issued in both Alaska and Washington, D.C., directing him to submit to paternity testing. Process servers tried to reach him, with one report noting he avoided service by running from an attempt. A test site was arranged near his home, and the procedure itself would take only minutes.

Despite these directives, compliance has not happened. The father has maintained some contact with the boy, including annual birthday calls, and acted in a parental role at times. His legal team and the boy’s attorney have described the situation as one where the refusal now directly blocks the child from securing formal proof of citizenship.

Immigration Enforcement Takes Its Course

You watch the enforcement side unfold and note that ICE placed both the boy and his mother into removal proceedings after the visa overstay. A deportation hearing sits on the calendar for early next year. The agencies involved emphasize that the burden rests on the applicant to prove eligibility, and without the accepted Certificate of Citizenship, the removal process continues.

No detention has occurred yet for the child, but the proceedings themselves carry real weight for the family’s future. Officials have not commented on this specific matter beyond standard policy, yet the pattern shows heightened focus on clearing backlogs and verifying status amid broader deportation priorities.

An Attorney Steps In to Fight for the Boy

You consider the role Margaret Stock has played from her Anchorage office at Cascadia Cross Border Law Group. She took on the representation after years of work with military families and has gathered every available document to support the citizenship claim. Stock has publicly described the evidence as sufficient under normal circumstances and argued that the father’s sworn statements plus the other materials should carry the day.

Her team continues to press for resolution before any removal occurs, warning that the mother’s separate asylum case could hinge on the outcome for her son. The attorney stresses the human cost and pushes for agencies to use the DNA already on file with the Navy rather than requiring new action from the father.

The Stakes for the Mother and Child Ahead

You weigh what lies next for this family and recognize the potential for deportation to Nigeria or Turkey if the proceedings end without relief. The boy’s status remains in dispute, leaving him without the formal shield of citizenship papers. His mother’s pending asylum adds another layer, as success for the son could open paths for her as well.

The case sits as one example of how verification rules intersect with family realities. With the hearing approaching, the family’s next moves depend on whether additional evidence or compliance changes the trajectory. For now, the 12-year-old continues his life in Anchorage under the shadow of these unresolved questions.