By Swift Reporter
A deportation journey that was expected to return a Ugandan national to Kampala ended in a dramatic confrontation at a United States airport after he allegedly fled from immigration officers and bit one of them during a struggle.
Kiiza Donald Atuhairwe was charged by US federal prosecutors on May 30, 2026, with assaulting a federal officer following the incident two days earlier at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona.
Atuhairwe, who had been studying in the United States as an international student at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, was being escorted back to Uganda by two US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers when the incident occurred.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, the officers were accompanying Atuhairwe on a commercial flight from El Paso, Texas, to Phoenix, Arizona, with Kampala as the final destination.
During a layover at Phoenix Sky Harbor on May 28, Atuhairwe allegedly broke away from the officers and ran through the airport terminal, pushing several people out of his way.
Arizona’s Family, citing federal court documents, reported that the attempted escape followed the officers’ refusal to allow Atuhairwe to smoke a cigarette.
Federal prosecutors said Atuhairwe eventually stopped running and turned towards one of the ICE officers in what authorities described as a fighting stance.
The officer attempted to restrain him, leading to a struggle during which Atuhairwe allegedly bit the officer’s left hand and then his right ring finger. The second bite reportedly caused the officer’s finger to bleed.
Other law enforcement officers subsequently restrained Atuhairwe and escorted him to a secure area of the airport, according to the US Department of Justice.
Following the incident, Atuhairwe reportedly told investigators that he had run because he was frightened and had “lost his mind.” He also claimed that the bite was accidental because he could not breathe and the officer’s finger had entered his mouth. He reportedly offered to apologise.
Deportation Order
The airport incident came after Atuhairwe had already been ordered removed from the United States.
The US Department of Justice said an immigration judge found him inadmissible and entered a final order of removal on May 6, 2025.
His removal proceedings followed a criminal case in Wisconsin dating back to 2022.
According to court-related reporting, Atuhairwe was accused of sexual assault involving three women in separate incidents between July and November 2022. He was subsequently convicted in 2023 of sexual assault and disorderly conduct.
The conviction later became part of the circumstances surrounding his immigration proceedings and eventual removal order.
One Of 271 Arizona Cases
Atuhairwe’s case was highlighted by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in a report covering immigration-related criminal charges filed between May 30 and June 5, 2026.
During that period, federal prosecutors announced charges against 271 individuals. The cases included 137 illegal re-entry cases, 113 illegal-entry cases and 16 cases involving 20 people accused of immigration smuggling.
Atuhairwe was the sole defendant identified in the report as having been charged with assaulting a federal officer.
The federal assault case means his immediate removal process was interrupted as he faces the new criminal proceedings in the United States.
Atuhairwe remains entitled to the presumption of innocence on the new assault allegation. The US Department of Justice has stressed that a criminal complaint is a formal accusation and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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