An American asylum seeker with a rejected claim branded “clearly unfounded” has been raking in around £400 per month in taxpayer-funded support — all while posting snappy London life videos online and demanding even more cash, citing he was born in a UK hospital.
Failed Claim Doesn’t Stop Free Cashflow
Olabode Shoniregun, 27, a psychology grad from Las Vegas, applied for UK asylum in October 2024. He claimed persecution back home for being black, Jewish, and Mormon. The Home Office slammed his bid on June 5, 2025, calling it “clearly unfounded” and told him to leave with no appeal rights.
Despite this, after months bunking in a taxpayer-funded Wembley Holiday Inn, Shoniregun was handed social housing and about £400 a month from Islington Council and a local church — even after being booted for aggressive behaviour and several run-ins with police.
Home Office Offer and Flight Fiasco
In December, the Home Office dangled a voluntary return deal: £1,500 and a flight home to Las Vegas, where his mum lives in a plush gated community. But a week later, airlines refused to let him board from Heathrow, citing him as “unfit to fly.” Shoniregun surrendered his passport and remains stranded in Britain.
Claiming Protection — While Contradicting Himself
He tells reporters he fled the US after alleged sexual assault by officers and threats in multiple cities – yet also says he would “happily” visit the US, just not be deported there. He bizarrely claimed, “I want humanitarian protection from violent homosexuality,” insisting UK taxpayers owe him more because he was born in a British hospital.
“I’ve been born in the United Kingdom, so I think that it’s crazy for me not to receive some kind of benefit… I don’t think that £400 is a lot of cash. I deserve that and more.”
Council and Home Office Push Back
Islington Council leapt to deny breaking immigration rules. A spokesperson stated they do not pay benefits or offer housing to anyone without eligible immigration status and only provide advice and partner support for homelessness.
The Home Office confirmed they’re trying to remove Shoniregun but highlighted the airline’s refusal to fly him home.
Legal Loopholes and Public Outrage
This case exposes the headache of dealing with failed asylum seekers who keep receiving public support despite clear rejection and no appeal rights. It also spotlights how airlines refusing to transport such individuals throw a wrench in deportations, even with financial incentives on the table.
Experts also caution Shoniregun’s claim that birth in a UK hospital grants benefits is a legal misunderstanding. British citizenship and access to public funds are not automatic for children of foreign nationals unless settled status is confirmed.
His contradictory stance — seeking protection from the US but openly welcoming visits — also raises serious questions about the legitimacy of his asylum claim.
