The Supreme Court will hear a case involving Izuchukwu Ozurumba, a Nigerian man who was forced to cook meals for the Unknown Gunmen, a militant group in Nigeria. The case centers on whether providing ordinary services, such as cooking, to terrorist organizations can disqualify immigrants from receiving asylum under U.S. immigration law. The Trump administration is challenging a Fourth Circuit ruling that overturned Ozurumba's deportation order, arguing that even non-direct support can sustain terrorist activities. Ozurumba was deported in April 2025 while his appeal was pending.
The Immigration and Nationality Act bars certain immigrants who provide "material support" to terrorist organizations from receiving asylum. The law does not clearly define what constitutes material support, although it lists examples such as transportation and training. The Fourth Circuit ruled that while Ozurumba prepared meals for the group's leaders, this did not qualify as material support that would bar him from asylum. The court did not address whether assistance provided under duress could be exempt from the law.
The Trump administration contends that cooking meals can free up members of a terrorist organization to carry out attacks. Ozurumba stated he was forced to cook under threat of violence and later escaped after preparing meals for the Unknown Gunmen for about six months. He fled Nigeria for Venezuela and then entered the United States in July 2023, where he was denied asylum and ordered deported. The Fourth Circuit's ruling has been seen as a significant interpretation of the material support provision, with dissenting opinions arguing that cooking for terrorist leaders constitutes material support.
Even if the Supreme Court rules in Ozurumba's favor, it would not guarantee him asylum or his return to the U.S., as immigration authorities would still need to reconsider his case.