Lawrence Eneh, a Nigerian native, faced deportation after a drug conviction but was protected by U.S. federal law against deportation to countries where he might face torture. Evidence presented by Eneh and his attorney, Christopher Stender, showed that Nigerian officials would likely withhold necessary AIDS medication as punishment, constituting torture. The appeals court ultimately agreed, blocking Eneh's deportation.

1. Nigerian Native Lawrence Eneh
Will Not Be Deported
Christopher Stender, Immigration
Attorney

2. Introduction
• Christopher Stender has been working in immigration
law as an attorney since 1990, and is on the list of pro
bono lawyers at the United States Department of Justice.
One of Christopher Stender’s cases as an immigration
attorney involved Lawrence Eneh, a native of Nigeria.
Lawrence Eneh contracted the AIDS virus from a
contaminated needle while working at a health center in
Minnesota. He gained legal residence in 2000 but was
was later convicted of selling marijuana and ordered to
be deported after serving three years in prison.
In the US, however, federal law prohibits deporting
anyone to a country where they might be tortured.

3. Eneh
• Eneh and his team were able to provide evidence
that Nigerian officials would immediately lock up
anyone with a drug crime and withhold medication.
One judge opined that AIDS medication might be
withheld in Nigeria because the illness is an
epidemic in that country and there may not be
enough money to afford the medication. Eneh
testified, on the other hand, that officials would
withhold the medication as a form of punishment
for having AIDS, which amounts to torture. In the
appeals court, it was agreed that Eneh would indeed
be vulnerable to torture in Nigeria, so the
deportation was blocked.