Mayama Sesay, widely known as “Black Diamond,” has been deported from the United States to Liberia following revelations about her role in the country’s second civil war.
Sesay entered the U.S. in 2014 on a visitor’s visa and later married a U.S. citizen, applying for permanent residency the following year. During her immigration proceedings, she denied involvement in the conflict. However, investigators later confirmed she had commanded the all-female unit of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), known as the Women’s Artillery Commandos.
Reports linked her to the recruitment of child soldiers, active combat roles, and direct battlefield leadership. U.S. authorities determined that she misrepresented her past during the immigration process, leading to a removal order issued by an immigration judge in 2022. The ruling was upheld on appeal, and she was deported on September 5, 2025.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the action underscores efforts to deny safe haven to human rights violators. Although she faced no criminal prosecution in the U.S., her wartime record and misstatements during immigration proceedings were grounds for deportation.
Sesay’s return to Liberia now raises uncertainty over potential legal action or public response to her reappearance in the country.
