Simon Guobadia Deported to Nigeria After Months in ICE Custody

In the midst of all the chaos surrounding Simon Guobadia, with Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams filing for divorce in February 2024 and the two reportedly clashing over the terms of their prenuptial agreement, things took an even more dramatic turn in February 2025. At the time, Simon was taken into ICE custody and held at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga., just a few hours outside of Atlanta, where he remained for several months.

That timeline checks out with his social media activity as his Instagram went quiet in February, and it wasn’t until June 10 that he resurfaced with a video clip from an interview posted to his Stories. That’s because Simon had finally been released, and he’s no longer listed as being in ICE custody.

His friend and business partner, Tai Savet, also confirmed to Us Weekly that Simon was deported back to Nigeria at the beginning of June 2025. So, why was Simon deported?

Simon Guobadia’s ex, Porsha Williams, has previously alleged that he was trying to enter the U.S. illegally, and given Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on immigration reform, paired with the fact that both Porsha and Simon are well-known in the entertainment world, it’s not all that surprising that ICE took action.

While there have been cases of ICE wrongfully detaining U.S. citizens, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. According to WSB-TV2, Simon was never granted U.S. citizenship, and his most recent request, filed in January 2025, was denied. But his issues with the immigration system date back decades.

Simon reportedly first entered the U.S. in 1982 and overstayed his visa. By 1985, he was already being considered “deportable.” He may have left and re-entered in 1986 on a work visa, but that one was also overstayed. In 1987, Simon ran into legal trouble involving credit card and bank fraud, charges he later pleaded guilty to. More arrests followed, and by 1992, he was deported.

But here’s where things get murky. WSB-TV2 reported that Simon returned to the U.S. less than a month after that 1992 deportation and applied for, and received, permanent residency under an “undisclosed identity.” Maybe he thought that by waiting it out for over two decades, he could apply for naturalization in 2016.

But the immigration system flagged his previous status as “unlawfully granted.” Since then, it’s been an uphill battle for Simon to appeal that decision, and so far, there hasn’t been much progress. Now, Simon is back in Nigeria, and according to Tai, he’s in “good spirits” despite everything that’s happened. Tai also told Us Weekly that Simon would still like to sit down with Trump, though he says he’s not upset with him.

In an effort to help others and their families who are facing detention and deportation, Simon has launched a line of T-shirts to support the cause. The initiative is live on SimonSaysNoICE.com, where the shirts feature slogans like “Free Simon” and “No ICE This Summer.” According to the website, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to custodial prison reform efforts.