The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving a Nigerian man who was deported after American immigration authorities rejected his asylum application over allegations that he provided material support to a terrorist organization by cooking meals for its members.
The case concerns Izuchukwu Ozurumba, who said he was forced to work as a cook for approximately six months at a camp operated by the Unknown Gunmen, a separatist group that US authorities classify as a terrorist organization.
According to court records, Ozurumba began working at the camp in southern Nigeria in 2022. He maintained that he did not initially know who operated the facility and was subsequently held against his will and forced to prepare meals for the group.
He reportedly escaped while accompanying members of the group on a trip to obtain supplies. Following his escape, he faced threats and travelled to Venezuela before entering the United States in July 2023, where he sought asylum.
Why his asylum application was rejected
In 2024, a US immigration judge rejected Ozurumba’s asylum application, ruling that preparing meals for members of the group amounted to providing material support under American immigration law.
The judge argued that supplying food helped meet the group’s basic needs, regardless of whether Ozurumba had acted voluntarily.
He was subsequently deported to Nigeria in April 2025 while his legal challenge was still ongoing.
However, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in his favour in September 2025, finding that his alleged forced labour did not qualify as material support for terrorism under the circumstances of the case.
The appeals court reasoned that there was no evidence his cooking provided resources that the group could use or redirect towards planning or carrying out terrorist activities.
Trump administration challenges ruling
The administration of US President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court’s decision.
Government lawyers argue that providing meals to members of a terrorist organization constitutes material support because it helps sustain the group’s operations.
Ozurumba’s lawyers, however, maintain that he was a captive labourer who acted under coercion rather than voluntarily assisting the organization.
Potential impact on asylum seekers
The Supreme Court’s decision could have wider implications for asylum seekers accused of providing assistance to organizations designated as terrorist groups.
The central legal question is whether activities such as cooking for group members can constitute material support even when the individual claims to have been forced to perform the work.
The court is expected to hear arguments during its current term and deliver a ruling by the end of June 2027.
The outcome could shape how US immigration authorities assess cases involving alleged assistance to terrorist organizations, particularly where claims of coercion and forced labour are involved.
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