An asylum-seeker from Africa volunteered across Buffalo. Now he's in ICE custody From the Continuing coverage: ICE activity in the Buffalo Niagara region series By Aaron Besecker News Staff Reporter Nov 16, 2025 Nov 16, 2025 Updated Feb 25, 2026 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Gary Kabeya has been volunteering to help underprivileged children, the homeless and others across the city since he moved here about two years ago.kAm}@H[ 96 D:ED :? E96 qF772=@ u656C2= s6E6?E:@? u24:=:EJ :? q2E2G:2]k^Am Gary Kabeya, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has volunteered with children and homeless people since moving to Buffalo about two years ago. Photo courtesy Sherry Schlenker kAmz236J2[ 2? 2DJ=F>\D66<6C 7C@> E96 s6>@4C2E:4 #6AF3=:4 @7 r@?8@[ H2D E2<6? :?E@ x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E 4FDE@5J @? 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D@>6H96C6 :? qF772=@ G@=F?E66C:?8 9:D E:>6[” $49=6?<6C D2:5]k^Am kAm%96 7F?5D C2:D65 :? E96 v@uF?5|6 42>A2:8? 2C6 A2J:?8 7@C 2? :>>:8C2E:@? 2EE@C?6J E@ C6AC6D6?E 9:>] %96 >@?6J 2=D@ :D 2G2:=23=6 :? 42D6 2? :>>:8C2E:@? ;F586 8C2?ED 3@?5 2E 2? FA4@>:?8 962C:?8]k^Am kAmz236J2 :D 9@A:?8 96 42? 86E 324< E96 3:4J4=6 96 H2D C:5:?8 H96? 96 H2D 2CC6DE65] w6 H2D E2<6? :?E@ 4FDE@5J @? !2C<52=6[ 36EH66? (6DE s6=2G2? 2?5 {272J6EE6 2G6?F6D]k^AmkAmqF772=@ sC62> r6?E6C :D @776C:?8 2 Sd_ C6H2C5 7@C :ED C6EFC?[ $49=6?<6C D2:5]k^AmkAm%96 3:4J4=6[ 2 a`\DA665 3=24< s:2>@?5324< E92E H2D 9:D D@=6 >62?D @7 EC2?DA@CE2E:@?[ 925 D6?E:>6?E2= G2=F6 E@ 9:>] w6 7:I65 :E FA H:E9 E96 96=A @7 v~3:<6 qF772=@[ @?6 @7 E96 @C82?:K2E:@?D z236J2 92D G@=F?E66C65 H:E9[ D2:5 z6G:? w6776C?2?[ E96 8C@FA’D 56AFEJ 5:C64E@C]k^Am Gary Kabeya at one of GObike Buffalo's bike rodeos for kids. Courtesy GObike Buffalo kAmz236J2 92D 366? G@=F?E66C:?8 E96C6 7@C ?62C=J 2 J62C[ 96=A:?8 H:E9 3:<6 C@56@D 7@C <:5D 2?5 H:E9 >@3:=6 C6A2:C 6G6?ED[ w6776C?2? D2:5]k^AmkAmw6 3642>6 2 C68F=2C 2E E96 @C82?:K2E:@?’D G@=F?E66C ?:89ED @? %9FCD52JD[ >2<:?8 9:> A2CE @7 E96 “6IE6?565 72>:=J” @7 E96 @C82?:K2E:@?[ 96 D2:5]k^Am kAm$49=6?<6C D2:5 D96 H2D :>AC6DD65 3J H92E z236J2 H2D 5@:?8 :? qF772=@[ 56DA:E6 724:?8 5:77:4F=E 4:C4F>DE2?46D 27E6C =@D:?8 4@?E24E H:E9 9:D A2C6?ED]k^Am kAmw6 4@F=5 92G6 D2E 2E 9@>6 2?5 H2:E65 7@C 2 564:D:@? @? 9:D 2DJ=F> 2AA=:42E:@?[ D96 D2:5[ 3FE :?DE625 96 5:5 E96 @AA@D:E6 – 96 H6?E @FE 2?5 96=A65 @E96CD :? 9:D ?6H 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am Gary Kabeya has volunteered with many organizations since he moved to Buffalo. Photo courtesy Friends Feeding Friends kAmw6 H2?ED E@ H@C< 2?5 4@?EC:3FE6 >62?:?87F==J 96C6] w6 56D6CG6D 2 492?46 E@ >2<6 2 D276[ 4@>7@CE23=6 =:76 :? qF772=@[ $49=6?<6C D2:5]k^AmkAm“v2CJ 36=@?8D 96C6[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm$96 D2:5 z236J2 2=D@ E@=5 96C @?46 96 :D C6=62D65 96 A=2?D E@ 96=A @E96CD H9@ 2C6 36:?8 96=5 2E E96 56E6?E:@? 46?E6C :? q2E2G:2]k^Am Reach Aaron at abesecker[at]buffnews.com, at (716) 849-4602 or on Signal @AaronBesecker.01 In this Series Continuing coverage: ICE activity in the Buffalo Niagara region Updated Feb 25, 2026 Gov. Hochul proposes law to keep police from working as deputized ICE officers Updated Feb 25, 2026 'We stand in solidarity': Buffalo restaurants, cafés and shops close to protest ICE Updated Feb 25, 2026 An asylum-seeker from Africa volunteered across Buffalo. Now he's in ICE custody 27 updates Previous Next Locations Newyork Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story 'It's cruel': Advocates blast ICE for banning book deliveries to Batavia detention center Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been denying and returning books delivered to Batavia detainees since unveiling a new mail-handling po… When ICE comes to the neighborhood: WNY grapples with new look of immigration enforcement Thomas Homan, the president's border czar, has said that Trump has secured the U.S. border "to its highest level." But in communities where th… A Buffalo judge kept her off a planeload of deported Iranians. A Texas judge will decide what happens next A judge's order in Buffalo kept an Iranian woman off a deportation flight to Iran, but a Texas court will decide what happens next. Judge Vilardo rebukes ICE's 'about-face' on mandatory detention policy With his ruling in a local case, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo joined a vast majority of the country's federal judges who have rejected… Immigration judge grants release of asylum-seeker who was volunteering across Buffalo Gary Kabeya, 24, was detained by federal agents on Oct. 31. A judge on Thursday granted bond. 'It's hitting restaurants from all sides': How ICE is impacting the Buffalo restaurant industry "I'm certainly fearful," said one Buffalo restaurant owner. 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'It's cruel': Advocates blast ICE for banning book deliveries to Batavia detention center Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been denying and returning books delivered to Batavia detainees since unveiling a new mail-handling po…
When ICE comes to the neighborhood: WNY grapples with new look of immigration enforcement Thomas Homan, the president's border czar, has said that Trump has secured the U.S. border "to its highest level." But in communities where th…
A Buffalo judge kept her off a planeload of deported Iranians. A Texas judge will decide what happens next A judge's order in Buffalo kept an Iranian woman off a deportation flight to Iran, but a Texas court will decide what happens next.
Judge Vilardo rebukes ICE's 'about-face' on mandatory detention policy With his ruling in a local case, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo joined a vast majority of the country's federal judges who have rejected…
Immigration judge grants release of asylum-seeker who was volunteering across Buffalo Gary Kabeya, 24, was detained by federal agents on Oct. 31. A judge on Thursday granted bond.
'It's hitting restaurants from all sides': How ICE is impacting the Buffalo restaurant industry "I'm certainly fearful," said one Buffalo restaurant owner. "I've told everyone, 'Look, have copies of all your IDs... have copies of your I-9…
