Asylum Seeker Complains About the Amount of Money He Receives Every Month in Britain, Saying It Is Not Enough and He Deserves More, but You Won’t Believe Where He Came From

A 27-year-old American asylum seeker has caused a lot of discussion in Britain after revealing why he wants to remain in the country, even though the Home Office has rejected his application and told him to leave.

Olabode Shoniregun, who came to the UK from Las Vegas in October 2024, has reportedly received accommodation and financial support worth around £400 a month despite being refused permission to stay.

The young man, who was born in London but grew up in the United States, believes he deserves financial support from Britain because of his connection to the country.

Speaking about the money he received, he said he did not believe £400 a month was enough and felt he should be getting more.

His comments have attracted attention because the British government has already decided that he does not qualify for asylum.

Shoniregun arrived at Gatwick Airport in October 2024 using an American passport. He said he had travelled to Britain because he feared for his safety in the United States.

According to his account, he had experienced discrimination and mistreatment because of his race and religious beliefs. He also made serious allegations against American police officers, claiming that he had been sexually assaulted and threatened.

These allegations were made by Shoniregun himself and have not been independently confirmed in the reports.

After arriving in Britain, he applied for asylum and was provided with accommodation while the authorities considered his case.

For several months, he stayed at a Holiday Inn hotel in Wembley, north London, with the cost of his accommodation covered through public funds.

However, things changed in June 2025 when the Home Office rejected his application.

Officials decided that his claims did not meet the requirements for asylum and informed him that he must leave the United Kingdom.

The refusal letter also explained that he did not have the right to appeal against the decision because his claims had been certified as clearly unfounded under immigration law.

Despite receiving this decision, Shoniregun remained in Britain.

Reports published in January 2026 said he had subsequently received accommodation and financial support of approximately £400.19 a month, reportedly arranged through Islington Council and St Stephen’s Church in Canonbury.

The money was intended to help him with everyday living expenses.

But Shoniregun believed he should receive more because he was born in Britain.

Speaking to The Telegraph, he said:

“I don’t think that £400 is a lot of cash. I deserve that and more.”

He also thanked British taxpayers for paying towards his stay in the country.

Shoniregun explained that one of his reasons for coming to Britain was to build a new life.

He said he hoped to find somewhere to live and eventually get a job that would allow him to earn money.

He believed being born in London should give him some connection to Britain, even though he holds American citizenship.

His mother is originally from Grenada, while his father is from Nigeria. Although he was born at Whittington Hospital in Islington, being born in the UK does not automatically make someone a British citizen under the rules that applied at the time of his birth.

The reports also revealed that his mother lives in Las Vegas in a property said to be worth around $500,000.

In December 2025, immigration officials located Shoniregun and offered him assistance to return to the United States voluntarily.

Under the voluntary return arrangement, he was offered a flight to Las Vegas and £1,500 to help him restart his life.

However, his departure did not go as planned.

When he arrived at Heathrow Airport, airline staff decided he was not fit to travel.

As a result, he was unable to board the flight and remained in Britain.

Further attempts to arrange his return were also unsuccessful, according to reports.

Shoniregun continued to explain that he feared returning to America because of the treatment he claimed to have experienced there.

Interestingly, he said he would not mind travelling back to the United States for a visit, provided he could return to Britain afterwards.

What he did not want was to be permanently deported from the UK.

His accommodation situation also became complicated.

In November 2025, he was reportedly removed from one property following allegations of aggressive behaviour towards staff. Police were called during the incident.

He later spent time without permanent accommodation and was reportedly seen sleeping rough in parts of London.

After returning to Islington, he received further help with accommodation.

He was also reportedly removed from a St Mungo’s homeless shelter following another disagreement before being placed in a Premier Inn at public expense.

During his time in London, Shoniregun shared videos on social media showing parts of his daily life, including visiting McDonald’s, spending time at a local library and meeting people.

His story has raised questions about how people whose asylum applications have been rejected can sometimes remain in Britain and continue receiving certain forms of support.

Under UK immigration rules, people whose asylum claims have been refused are generally expected to leave unless they have another legal reason to remain. However, practical difficulties, legal proceedings or other circumstances can sometimes delay their removal.

It is also important to understand that asylum support is different from ordinary benefits such as Universal Credit. People without the necessary immigration status are generally not entitled to claim mainstream welfare benefits, although limited support may be available in certain circumstances.

In Shoniregun’s case, reports said he had received financial assistance and accommodation after his application was rejected, although Islington Council said it does not provide social housing or financial support to people who do not have eligible immigration status.

The Home Office confirmed that the airline had refused to carry him because he was considered unfit to fly.

A spokesperson said officials were continuing their efforts to remove him from Britain as soon as possible.

For Shoniregun, however, his position remained that he wanted to stay in the country where he was born and build a better life.

He believed he should be allowed to receive support and find work, while the Home Office maintained that he did not qualify for asylum.

Although he openly discussed the money and accommodation he had received, he also said his main concern about returning to America was his personal safety. There is no confirmed evidence that financial benefits were the reason he refused to leave Britain.

As of the January 2026 reports, his situation remained unresolved, with immigration officials still trying to arrange his departure from the UK.