An army veteran from Georgia is fighting for his return to the United States after being deported to Jamaica.
The retired serviceman, named Godfrey Wade, had lived in America for decades before ICE agents took him into custody. He remained under ICE custody until officials deported him to Jamaica. Now, his family has filed an appeal over the matter, citing that he lawfully belongs in the U.S.
According to CBS News, a traffic stop initially prompted this headline-making immigration case. He first arrived in the U.S. under a legal status in 1975, promptly joining the army to serve his new country. His family called it his “foundation,” as he took great pride in his service, as his daughter, Emmanuela Wade, stated.
After receiving an honorable discharge, the army veteran took on new jobs as a coach, a fashion designer, and even a chef. Across the decades, he built a life in Georgia with his growing family, including a fiancée, six children, and three grandchildren. However, a September 2025 traffic stop turned his American dream into a nightmare.
After a Conyers officer pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal, the cop promptly arrested him for driving without a license. This unfortunate stroke of luck spiraled into more legal trouble.
ICE later became involved, detaining him over a 2014 removal order, specifically regarding a 2007 bounced check and a simple assault charge from a year prior. Wade assured them that the assault was nonviolent, with the bounced check also resolved.
Despite his assertions, previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, his deportation came to fruition. ICE officials stated that Wade never appeared for a hearing on the removal order. However, the hearing notices went to an address deemed undeliverable, and Wade’s attorneys stated that he never knew of the order.
Now, Wade’s loved ones continue to fight for some resolution and his return to the country they all call home. However, they have met resistance from ICE and elected officials regarding the proposed reversal of his deportation.
We’ve built an amazing life together, and to be separated from that is very challenging, especially since he did not have an opportunity to have his voice heard,” Wade’s fiancée, April Watkins, told CBS News Atlanta.
Although Wade’s defense sought an emergency stay of the removal, the motion was denied. In light of the justice issue, Georgia U.S. Rep. David Scott has also involved himself in the case.
Scott’s office had submitted a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security to halt the deportation. In a statement, he urged that Wade remained “entitled” to due process, especially given his service to the U.S. military.
“Nonetheless, DHS deported Mr. Wade to Jamaica and did not notify my office until four days later,” Scott said in a statement. “Mr. Wade served this country honorably and was entitled to due process. His deportation is a continuation of the Trump Administration’s punitive and cruel immigration tactics, and I will continue pressing DHS for accountability.”
As his family goes through the appeals process, the army veteran has kept his faith in the U.S. justice system.
“We are trusting in the justice system of my beloved country, the United States of America, that I loved so much and served,” shared Wade to CNN as he currently remains in Jamaica.
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