Porsha Williams’ estranged husband, Simon Guobadia, has been detained by ICE, Us Weekly can confirm.
Guobadia, who was born in Nigeria, is currently being held at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, according to U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s records, obtained by Us on Friday, February 21.
His status is listed as “in ICE custody,” meaning he is being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (The detainment comes amid President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan, which he signed into effect earlier this year after taking the Oval Office. Under the order, illegal immigrants could be deported back to their home countries.)
Guobadia, 60, came from Nigeria to the United States in 1982 and allegedly overstayed his visa and was declared deportable in 1985, according to Atlanta’s WSB-TV 2. Guobadia returned to America in 1986 and once again overstayed his work visa.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams has filed for divorce from Simon Guobadia after 15 months of marriage. People reported the news of the split on Friday, February 23, with a source telling the publication that the breakup has nothing to do with rumors surrounding Guobadia’s citizenship status. The outlet obtained the divorce […]
He was arrested in 1987 and pleaded guilty to bank and credit card fraud. Guobadia was later arrested two more times and deported back to Nigeria in 1992.
Guobadia was able to return to the U.S. one month later, according to the news station, which reported on Friday that he applied for naturalization in 2016. However, Guobadia was denied by the U.S. government.
In February 2024, Guobadia made headlines again when the Atlanta Black Star reported that he had been repeatedly denied residency in the U.S. At the time, Guobadia seemed unbothered by his citizen status.
“Happy Tuesday to all who ever overcame and persevered in life. You are winning👌🏾👌🏾#42yearsLivinginAmerica,” he wrote via Instagram in February 2024, sharing a photo smoking a cigar and riding on a golf cart in Georgia.
Days later Williams, 43, filed for divorce after being married to Guobadia for 15 months. The pair tied the knot in November 2022 after getting engaged in May 2021.
Porsha Williams broke her silence after filing for divorce from husband Simon Guobadia following 15 months of marriage. “Thank you for your prayers & support. – PW,” the Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 42, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, February 25. Porsha added a broken heart and prayer hands emoji to her social media message. […]
Us reported in November 2024 that Williams was awarded “temporary, sole and exclusive possession, use and occupancy” of her and Guobadia’s shared residence in Georgia, meaning she could still film The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
The order included permission for Williams to have the “unrestricted right to film and produce television, film or social media” content on the premises. The docs obtained by Us also stated that Guobadia shall “execute any and all documents necessary to facilitate.”
Williams and Guobadia signed a prenuptial agreement prior to their wedding, but their divorce is ongoing.
Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
