Ugandan facing federal charges in US after biting ICE officer during deportation flight
A Ugandan citizen, Donald Atuhairwe Kiiza, faces federal charges for assaulting an ICE officer during a deportation flight transit in Phoenix. The incident occurred during a broader federal enforcement operation aimed at curbing unlawful immigration.
Why it matters
The case highlights the legal complexities and security challenges involved in federal immigration enforcement and deportation procedures.
A Ugandan citizen is facing federal criminal charges in the United States after allegedly assaulting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a deportation transit at a Phoenix airport, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Donald Atuhairwe Kiiza was charged on May 30, 2026, with assault on a federal officer following an incident that occurred while he was being escorted back to Uganda. Federal authorities stated that Atuhairwe had been ordered deported by an immigration judge on May 6, 2025, after being declared inadmissible to the United States. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, two ICE officers were escorting Atuhairwe on May 28, 2026, from El Paso, Texas, to Phoenix, Arizona, via a commercial flight, with his final destination scheduled as Kampala, Uganda.
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