ICE Deports Convicted Coup Leader Linked to Deadly 2015 Burkina Faso Uprising

In a move that underscores its self-styled mission to target human rights abusers, ICE New York deported Zakaria Songotoua on April 22. Songotoua, 40, was convicted in absentia in Burkina Faso for participating in the September 16, 2015, coup attempt that violently shook the West African nation.

Songotoua was a member of Burkina Faso’s Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) during the coup attempt, which involved rogue elements of the RSP holding the interim president and prime minister hostage. The violent crackdown on protestors led to at least 11 deaths and over 100 injuries. Songotoua fled the country before his trial but was sentenced to 30 years in prison on charges including murder, assault, and attacks on state security.

Kenneth Genalo, director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York City, framed the deportation as a necessary action against those who “have no place in the United States” due to their “grave disregard for human life and the rule of law.” ICE credited Homeland Security Investigations and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center for their roles in tracking and removing Songotoua.

The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, established in 2008, claims to be a key player in identifying and prosecuting suspected human rights violators residing in the US. It currently pursues nearly 2,000 leads and cases involving suspects from 95 countries. Since 2003, it has issued over 80,000 lookouts and prevented more than 415 alleged violators from entering the country.

While this case fits ICE’s narrative of pursuing serious human rights offenders, it contrasts sharply with the agency’s broader record of detaining and deporting immigrants, including asylum seekers and vulnerable populations, often under inhumane conditions and with little accountability.

The deportation of Songotoua serves as a reminder that ICE’s enforcement priorities can sometimes align with international justice efforts. However, the agency’s ongoing abuses and overreach in immigration enforcement continue to draw fierce criticism from advocates and civil rights groups.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected human rights violators via its tip line or email, signaling a continued focus on hunting alleged perpetrators of atrocities, even as it faces scrutiny for systemic violations within its own detention system.