Biography
Saja Tunkara was held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. After Seattle Weekly reporting on his medical care in 2018, he was deported to Sierra Leone. His wife ShaCorrie testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the accelerated removal was retaliation for exposing detention conditions. ICE denied retaliation. The University of Washington Center for Human Rights cites his experience when explaining the risks faced by detained people who speak publicly.
Case history and verification
Saja Tunkara was held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. After Seattle Weekly reporting on his medical care in 2018, he was deported to Sierra Leone. His wife ShaCorrie testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the accelerated removal was retaliation for exposing detention conditions. ICE denied retaliation. The University of Washington Center for Human Rights cites his experience when explaining the risks faced by detained people who speak publicly.
Status reviewed October 8, 2026: The documented U.S. detention ended in deportation to Sierra Leone in 2018. Only year precision is recorded because reviewed accounts differ on the month. No current ICE custody is asserted.
Sources
- UW Center for Human Rights: account of December 2018 IACHR testimony
- UW Center for Human Rights: 2020 report methodology and retaliation concerns
- EOIR November 2018 news briefing: ICE response to allegations
Biographical details and photo sources
Reported age: 39 in the October 10, 2018 Seattle Weekly interview by Melissa Hellmann, republished by Auburn Reporter. This is a dated historical age, not a statement of current age.
Photo: Family photograph published with ShaCorrie Wimbley Tunkara’s interview in Socialist Worker. The caption identifies Saja at center right. Photo source and caption.
Verified detail sources (October 8, 2026): ShaCorrie Wimbley Tunkara’s July 19, 2018 interview dates detention to January 9, 2018; October 10 reporting describes booking on January 10. January 2018 is recorded with month precision to avoid resolving the one-day distinction without booking records. Source 1. Source 2.
