Nigerian Catholic priest 'commits suicide' after battling deportation from US
A Nigerian Catholic priest, Benjamin Madu, reportedly died by suicide in the United States after failing to secure a visa renewal under new immigration policies. His death has sparked calls for the US government to grant temporary protected status to Nigerians facing safety risks at home.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the human impact of restrictive immigration policies and the ongoing debate regarding asylum and religious worker visas.
Benjamin Madu, a 54-year-old Catholic priest from Nigeria, has reportedly committed suicide in North Shore Massachusetts, United States .
Madu was found dead at his residence on July 2, 2026, days before his R-1 religious worker visa was due to expire.
Madu served as a priest at St. Ann and Our Lady of Good Voyage churches in Gloucester and St. Joachim in Rockport — all in the US.
His visa was due to expire on July 29 and efforts to renew it proved unsuccessful owing to the recent migrant restriction policies of US President Donald Trump.
To renew the visa, he was expected to return to Nigeria.
In June, there were compassionate pleas from parishioners about the visa struggles of the Catholic priest.
NBC Boston reported that a source familiar with the situation said the priest took his own life.
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