Controversy Surrounds Malian National’s Deportation and Asylum Claims

The story of Moussa Diawara, a Malian national deported by the Trump administration, was highlighted on a recent episode of 60 Minutes. The CBS News segment focused on Diawara’s plight, portraying him as a devoted family man. His wife, 16-year-old son, and 12-year-old daughter shared their perspectives during the broadcast.

However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) challenge this narrative, suggesting Diawara’s case exemplifies widespread immigration fraud. ICE highlighted that Diawara, who came to the U.S. in 2001, had claimed homosexuality in his asylum application to avoid deportation to Mali.

Fox News obtained Diawara’s 2009 asylum application. He stated his fear of returning to Mali was due to his sexual orientation, which he claimed could result in persecution or even death. Diawara asserted he faced severe punishment because of his sexuality and was ostracized from Malian community activities.

“My life is hence worth threatened if I have to go back to my country because I could be executed either by the Islamic group or the community,” Diawara wrote.

Despite Diawara living in the U.S. without a criminal record for 25 years, he overstayed his visa. ICE detained him, sending him to Ghana, which later deported him to Mali. 60 Minutes reported that a U.S. judge recognized the potential danger he faced in Mali, though the broadcast did not discuss the inconsistencies between his narrative as a family man and his asylum application claims.

James Percival, DHS General Counsel, criticized 60 Minutes for depicting Diawara as an example of wrongful deportation. Percival noted the prevalence of immigration fraud, particularly claims related to personal danger, which he believes are often unfounded.

In response, a 60 Minutes insider defended their report, acknowledging the questions raised by DHS about Diawara’s credibility. The segment was produced by new contributor Gianna Toboni. DHS mentioned that Ghana provided diplomatic assurances regarding Diawara’s safety, leaving open questions about the truthfulness of his application.

Percival shared his frustration with the airing of the segment, claiming that extensive portions of his interview were omitted. He expressed hope that his full comments would be released subsequently.

The official ICE account also reacted strongly, suggesting Diawara’s narrative on 60 Minutes lacked thorough research. This raises further doubts about his claims.