Indonesian students in US fear immigration crackdown over political views
An Indonesian student who was detained by US immigration agents allegedly over his political activism after his visa was revoked has sparked a diplomatic backlash in Jakarta and deepened anxiety among Indonesians studying in the country amid President
Donald Trump 's immigration crackdown.
Advertisement
Aditya Harsono, who came to the US in 2015 to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental science from Southwest Minnesota State University, was detained on March 27 by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 'just days after his student visa was suddenly revoked without warning,' Aditya's wife, Peyton Harsono, wrote in a fundraising page she set up on the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform.
Aditya enrolled in the same university's MBA programme in 2022, according to The New York Times. In addition to his F-1 student visa, he has a pending green card application through his marriage to Peyton, an American citizen.
Sarah Gad, Aditya's lawyer, told the NYT the Indonesian's visa revocation was allegedly based on a misdemeanour conviction in 2022, after he drew graffiti on a semi-truck trailer.
Aditya was also arrested in 2021 for breaking curfew during a protest in Minneapolis against the murder of George Floyd, a charge later dismissed by prosecutors, Gad said.
Advertisement
Aditya, who is a Muslim, has also reportedly sold art and merchandise to help Palestinian victims of the Israel-Gaza war. 'We fear his political activism played a role in targeting him,' his wife wrote.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Britain ready to implement US tariff deal on cars and steel, trade minister says
Britain is ready to implement its side of a tariff deal with the United States and is hopeful for a proclamation from US President Donald Trump to put the agreement into effect in the coming days, trade minister Jonathan Reynolds said on Thursday. Advertisement British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Trump on May 8 agreed to reduce tariffs on UK imports of cars and steel to the US, with Britain agreeing to lower tariffs on beef and ethanol, but implementation of the deal has been delayed. Reynolds met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday and discussed the implementation of the deal. Asked on Thursday if there would be an update by the end of the week, Reynolds said he was 'very hopeful'. 'We're ready to go, and as soon as the president and the White House are ready to go on their side, we'll implement [our] part of the deal,' Reynolds told reporters. Reynolds said he would issue a government order known as a statutory instrument to implement the changes to reciprocal tariffs. Officials said that the update on implementation was likely to come early next week. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Xi-Trump phone call suggests ties are warming but the timing of a meeting is another thing
Despite an invitation from his American counterpart Donald Trump , sources indicate that Chinese President Xi Jinping will not travel to the United States in September for the UN General Assembly, which would be the earliest opportunity for such a trip. Advertisement Instead, China will send Premier Li Qiang to represent the country at the event in New York, according to several diplomatic sources. The bilateral relationship seems to have improved following a phone call between Xi and Trump on June 5. The US president later said he had received an invitation to visit China, which he then reciprocated. 02:09 China, US top negotiators agree on 'framework' that will need approval from Xi and Trump China, US top negotiators agree on 'framework' that will need approval from Xi and Trump 'He invited me to China, and I invited him here. We both accepted, so I'll be going there with the first lady at a certain point, and he'll be coming here, hopefully with the first lady of China,' Trump told reporters that day. Observers in Washington believe a visit would significantly stabilise one of the most critical bilateral relationships in the world. Such trips typically require months of preparation, making the United Nations General Assembly in September the most convenient opportunity. It would be ideal for Xi to speak in person to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, an organisation China has staunchly supported. However, several diplomatic sources told the South China Morning Post this was unlikely. Advertisement 'The No. 2 will go to the UN,' said a source in Beijing who had been briefed on the arrangements, referring to the premier. Two other sources also told the Post that Li would attend on Xi's behalf.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Los Angeles faces second night of curfew as Trump expands crackdown: ‘democracy under assault'
The Los Angeles Police Department moved swiftly on Wednesday night to quell disorder stemming from anti-deportation protests, charging crowds on horses and firing 'less lethal' munitions to clear protesters. After the initial burst of activity, the downtown area – under a second night of curfew imposed by Mayor Karen Bass – was calmer, with a heavy police presence designed to prevent a repeat of the unrest that has led to 600 arrests since the weekend and acts of vandalism and looting. Tensions remain high though as the city is gripped by the divide between local and federal powers. California Governor Gavin Newsom used a national address to slam President Donald Trump for activating 700 active-duty Marines and authorising the deployment of up to 4,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles. 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,' Newsom said. 'This moment we have feared has arrived.' Protests over raids continued to spread across the US, including Spokane, Washington, where Mayor Lisa Brown issued a curfew on Wednesday night and police made 30 arrests, according to media reports. Las Vegas police declared an 'unlawful assembly' and fired tear gas at protesters. Demonstrations have also popped up in cities including New York, Chicago and Milwaukee, with protesters clashing with police and local officials. A man hit by a non-lethal munition is assisted by a woman, as people march as part of the ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters The demonstrations sprouted as the federal government further expands its show of force. The National Guard in Los Angeles will support immigration arrests made by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on city streets. On Wednesday, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the administration is invoking the Hobbs Act to allow federal prosecutors to take over criminal cases that would typically be handled by California authorities.
