Mayama Sesay, widely known by her wartime alias “Black Diamond,” has been deported from the United States to Liberia following revelations about her role as a rebel commander during Liberia’s second civil war. Sesay, who entered the U.S. in 2014 on a visitor’s visa, later married a U.S. citizen and applied for permanent residency in 2015. During her immigration interview, she denied any links to Liberia’s brutal conflict or her activities as “Black Diamond.” However, subsequent investigations by U.S. authorities uncovered evidence of her command role within the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) movement.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Sesay led the all-female unit known as the Women’s Artillery Commandos, a formation notorious for its aggressive battlefield tactics. She was accused of recruiting and deploying child soldiers, as well as engaging in direct front-line combat. U.S. officials determined that her misrepresentations during the immigration process invalidated her residency application.
In 2022, an immigration judge ordered her removal from the United States. After several appeals were denied, Sesay was taken into custody and officially deported on September 5, 2025. While no criminal charges were brought against her in the U.S., ICE emphasized that her deportation underscores America’s commitment to ensuring that human rights violators are not afforded safe haven. “Individuals who participated in atrocities and then attempt to conceal their past will not find refuge in the United States,” ICE noted in a statement confirming her removal.
Sesay’s return to Liberia has reignited public debate about accountability for crimes committed during the nation’s civil wars. Liberia has yet to establish a war crimes court, despite longstanding calls from civil society and international partners. Her presence in the country now raises pressing questions about whether past commanders accused of serious abuses will ever face formal justice. The case of “Black Diamond” highlights not only the vigilance of U.S. immigration authorities but also the lingering shadows of Liberia’s violent past—reminders of a painful history that continues to shape the nation’s pursuit of reconciliation and justice.
