Indonesian student detained by ICE in Minnesota after secret visa revocation
U.S. ICE officers conduct a targeted enforcement operation in Atlanta U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conduct a targeted enforcement operation in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. on February 9, 2017. Courtesy Bryan Cox/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement PHOTO: REUTERS
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An Indonesian man, Aditya Wahyu Harsono, 33, remains in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained at his workplace, a hospital in Minnesota, following the secret revocation of his F-1 student visa.
Harsono, a supply-chain manager and recent graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University, was arrested on March 27 in the hospital basement during a staged meeting coordinated by ICE agents and hospital staff.
His attorney, Sarah Gad, says Harsono was not informed his visa had been revoked, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) backdated to March 23. Harsono had a pending green card application through his U.S. citizen wife.
Judge Sarah Mazzie denied a motion to dismiss the case on humanitarian grounds, allowing removal proceedings to continue. Harsono's next immigration hearing is scheduled for May 1.
According to his attorney, DHS cited a 2022 misdemeanor graffiti conviction as the basis for the visa revocation, which she argues is not a deportable offense. Additional DHS evidence included a 2021 protest arrest, which was dismissed.
The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have not responded to media requests. ICE records confirm Harsono is detained at Kandiyohi County Jail.
The case has raised concerns about transparency and due process in student visa enforcement. Harsono's wife, Peyton, says his arrest has left the family — including their 8-month-old daughter with special needs — in financial and emotional distress. His bond was granted but immediately appealed by DHS, triggering an automatic stay.
Harsono's detention follows broader reports of student visa revocations across the country. Over 900 students at more than 120 universities have reportedly had visas canceled since mid-March.
Gad is pursuing a federal petition and temporary restraining order seeking his release.
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