Latest news with #RezaZavvar
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
United States trying to deport migrant to Australia, despite him having no connection to the country
The US government is threatening to deport a man to Australia, even though he has no link to our country, as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants. Reza Zavvar, 52, was originally from Iran. He now lives in the American state Maryland, and has been in the United States since the mid-1980s. He works as a recruiter. While he did initially have a green card, which grants permanent residence in the United States, it was stripped of him in 2004 over a minor offences related to his possession of the drug marijuana in the 1990s. In 2007, he was granted a non-expulsion order, meaning he could not be deported back to the country of his birth, Iran. Mr Zavvar's lawyer, Ava Benach, says those marijuana offences are why he is now being targeted for deportation. 'On June 28, ICE arrested Reza Zavvar, a criminal illegal alien from Iran. He was convicted of attempted possession of a controlled substance,' Tricia McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the US Department of Homeland Security said last month, explaining his current detention. 'They got him while he was walking his dog in his quiet suburban neighbourhood,' Ms Benach told the ABC, referring to agents from the US immigration enforcement agency ICE, whose powers and resources have been boosted by President Donald Trump. 'And they detained him and sent him to Texas to hold him, and they said: 'We're gonna deport you to Australia or Romania.' 'How they picked those countries is a mystery to me.' And, indeed, to the rest of us. Mr Zavvar's mother, Firouzeh Firouzabadi, told NBC4 Washington that shortly after he left home to walk his dog Duke on June 28, uniformed agents arrived at the door, where she lived with him, with Duke's leash in their hands. 'I heard the knock on the door,' Ms Firouzabadi said. 'I was shaking. My brother was behind me holding me, and a lot of questions were coming, but the first thing that came to my mind was that maybe a car hit him and he's on the floor, that's why they brought him, Duke to me. 'That was the first thing that hit me. It was hard.' To be clear, Mr Zavvar has no ties to Australia or Romania. He has resided in America for about 40 years, since he arrived there at the age of 12. Yet he has received two 'notices of removal' from America's Department of Homeland Security, signalling its intention to send him away. One says the destination will be Australia, the other Romania. Those notices were served on him at the beginning of July. The aforementioned court order from 2007 prevents him from being deported to his native Iran because it could place him in danger of persecution. So, consistent with its policy of trying to send such people to third-party countries instead, the Trump administration is looking elsewhere. The Australian government says it has not been approached about the case. 'There have been no new agreements made with the Trump administration on immigration,' said a spokesperson. America, however, seems determined to deport Mr Zavvar. Here is the quote from Ms McLaughlin, who serves as an assistant secretary at DHS in addition to being among its chief spokespeople: 'ICE continues to try and find a country willing to accept this criminal illegal alien.' 'The Trump administration will not ignore the rule of law,' she said. 'Under President Trump and Secretary (Kristi) Noem, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the US.' Mr Zavvar's family are seeking donations to help him fund a fight in the courts. 'After 40 years of living in the US, Reza knows no other home,' his sister, Maryam, wrote as part of an online petition. 'He waits in a privately run detention centre, thousands of miles from anything familiar, while bureaucrats decide his future.' His sister described him as a 'gentle giant', talented at sports but 'kind and warm-hearted' off the field. The petition claims Mr Zavvar has long been a contributor to his local community, donating sandwiches to the hungry and helping his neighbours. Duke, the aforementioned dog, was adopted from a shelter. The selection of Australia and Romania stands out because in many cases, the Trump administration has used deportees as bargaining chips in broader negotiations with foreign governments, mostly in South America and Africa. The practice of deporting people to third countries was rare until this year. Tom Homan, the man frequently described as Mr Trump's 'border czar', has claimed most migrants targeted by ICE are either 'criminals' or 'national security threats'.
Daily Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
United States trying to deport migrant to Australia, despite him having no connection to the country
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. The US government is threatening to deport a man to Australia, even though he has no link to our country, as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants. Reza Zavvar, 52, was originally from Iran. He now lives in the American state Maryland, and has been in the United States since the mid-1980s. He works as a recruiter. While he did initially have a green card, which grants permanent residence in the United States, it was stripped of him in 2004 over a minor offences related to his possession of the drug marijuana in the 1990s. In 2007, he was granted a non-expulsion order, meaning he could not be deported back to the country of his birth, Iran. Mr Zavvar's lawyer, Ava Benach, says those marijuana offences are why he is now being targeted for deportation. 'On June 28, ICE arrested Reza Zavvar, a criminal illegal alien from Iran. He was convicted of attempted possession of a controlled substance,' Tricia McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the US Department of Homeland Security said last month, explaining his current detention. Reza Zavvar and his dog. 'They got him while he was walking his dog in his quiet suburban neighbourhood,' Ms Benach told the ABC, referring to agents from the US immigration enforcement agency ICE, whose powers and resources have been boosted by President Donald Trump. 'And they detained him and sent him to Texas to hold him, and they said: 'We're gonna deport you to Australia or Romania.' 'How they picked those countries is a mystery to me.' And, indeed, to the rest of us. Mr Zavvar's mother, Firouzeh Firouzabadi, told NBC4 Washington that shortly after he left home to walk his dog Duke on June 28, uniformed agents arrived at the door, where she lived with him, with Duke's leash in their hands. 'I heard the knock on the door,' Ms Firouzabadi said. 'I was shaking. My brother was behind me holding me, and a lot of questions were coming, but the first thing that came to my mind was that maybe a car hit him and he's on the floor, that's why they brought him, Duke to me. 'That was the first thing that hit me. It was hard.' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE, posing in front of prisoners in El Salvador, one of the destinations for America's deportees. Picture: Alex Brandon/AFP To be clear, Mr Zavvar has no ties to Australia or Romania. He has resided in America for about 40 years, since he arrived there at the age of 12. Yet he has received two 'notices of removal' from America's Department of Homeland Security, signalling its intention to send him away. One says the destination will be Australia, the other Romania. Those notices were served on him at the beginning of July. The aforementioned court order from 2007 prevents him from being deported to his native Iran because it could place him in danger of persecution. So, consistent with its policy of trying to send such people to third-party countries instead, the Trump administration is looking elsewhere. The Australian government says it has not been approached about the case. 'There have been no new agreements made with the Trump administration on immigration,' said a spokesperson. America, however, seems determined to deport Mr Zavvar. Here is the quote from Ms McLaughlin, who serves as an assistant secretary at DHS in addition to being among its chief spokespeople: 'ICE continues to try and find a country willing to accept this criminal illegal alien.' 'The Trump administration will not ignore the rule of law,' she said. 'Under President Trump and Secretary (Kristi) Noem, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the US.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: Valeriu Campan/NewsWire Mr Zavvar's family are seeking donations to help him fund a fight in the courts. 'After 40 years of living in the US, Reza knows no other home,' his sister, Maryam, wrote as part of an online petition. 'He waits in a privately run detention centre, thousands of miles from anything familiar, while bureaucrats decide his future.' His sister described him as a 'gentle giant', talented at sports but 'kind and warm-hearted' off the field. The petition claims Mr Zavvar has long been a contributor to his local community, donating sandwiches to the hungry and helping his neighbours. Duke, the aforementioned dog, was adopted from a shelter. The selection of Australia and Romania stands out because in many cases, the Trump administration has used deportees as bargaining chips in broader negotiations with foreign governments, mostly in South America and Africa. The practice of deporting people to third countries was rare until this year. Tom Homan, the man frequently described as Mr Trump's 'border czar', has claimed most migrants targeted by ICE are either 'criminals' or 'national security threats'. Originally published as United States trying to deport migrant to Australia, despite him having no connection to the country
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labor casts doubt over US deporting Iranian to Australia; Kathleen Folbigg compensated; and an interstellar jellyfish
Good afternoon. The Albanese government has said it has no knowledge of the Trump administration's plan to deport an Iranian-born man from US immigration detention to Australia, despite him having no link to the country. Reza Zavvar, a 52-year-old permanent US resident who arrived when he was 12, is being held in detention near his Maryland home due to a historical conviction for marijuana possession which dates back to the 1990s. While Zavvar cannot be sent back to Iran due to risk of persecution, documents provided by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement suggest he could be sent to Australia or Romania. A spokesperson for the Albanese government said there was no new agreement for transfer of US immigration detainees to Australia and it had not been approached by the Trump administration in relation to Zavvar's case. Convicted rapist MP Gareth Ward argues it would be unfair to be expelled from NSW parliament Penny Wong complained to China about intimidation of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners Academic allowed to visit Europe while on bail for allegedly showing child abuse images during university lecture JD Vance's team had water level of Ohio river raised for family's boating trip Dozens more countries face higher taxes on exports to US as new Trump tariffs come into effect Kathleen Folbigg compensated after spending two decades in jail for wrongful convictions Spaceships modelled on jellyfish, 3D-printed homes, polyamorous relationships and vegetarian diets are among the ways in which experts have envisaged making interstellar travel feasible. The ideas from scientists, engineers, architects and social theorists came in response to a global competition to develop plans for 'generation ships', self-sustaining crafts capable of supporting up to 1,500 people on a 250-year journey to a habitable planet. 'It is time for action, not just worried looks' – Peter Rodgers The former Australian ambassador to Israel was one of 16 former Australian ambassadors and diplomats to sign an open letter urging Anthony Albanese to end weapon and component exports to Israel and recognise a Palestinian state. The letter says repeated calls for a two-state solution make 'no sense when only one state exists, and that heavily armed state, Israel, is engaged in apartheid, war crimes, and potential genocide of almost totally defenceless people'. Can Trump be shamed into supporting human rights? After three decades at the helm of Human Rights Watch, the former executive director Kenneth Roth has written a memoir about his time campaigning against human rights violations around the world – including in the Palestinian occupied territories. He speaks with Nour Haydar about why he thinks there's always a strategy to pressure governments into supporting better human rights outcomes. Listen to the episode here Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ When Cleonie Quayle's grandchildren were placed in her care, she stopped full-time work and started making and selling jewellery. On Wednesday evening, the Malyangapa Barkindji woman won a National Indigenous fashion award for her first piece of clothing: a dress made from hundreds of gold-tipped jacaranda seed pods, inspired by the resilience and recovery journey of her daughter, Chloe – also known as the rapper Barkaa. Today's starter word is: ANNA. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply. Enjoying the Afternoon Update? Then you'll love our Morning Mail newsletter. Sign up here to start the day with a curated breakdown of the key stories you need to know, and complete your daily news roundup. And follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Albanese government has no knowledge of Trump administration threat to deport Iranian man to Australia
Labor has cast doubt on the possibility of the Trump administration transferring an Iranian-born man from US immigration detention to Australia, saying it has no knowledge of the case. The US government is threatening to deport Reza Zavvar, a 52-year-old permanent resident who lives in Maryland, to either Australia or Romania – despite having no links to either country. Zavvar is being held in detention near his home, despite previously holding a US immigration green card, due to a historical conviction for marijuana possession which dates back to the 1990s. He arrived in the US at 12 years of age on a student visa, meaning he has lived in the US for four decades. Zavvar cannot be sent back to Iran due to risk of persecution, and his lawyer Ava Benach says he has been told he could be sent to a third country under so-called 'withholding of removal' status since 2007. Most people with the status are never deported. Documents provided by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement suggest Zavvar could be sent to Australia or Romania. His lawyer, Ava Benach, said Zavvar has never lived in either country. 'There is no rhyme of reason to it, that was just what was put on the form,' Benach said. 'He has not ties to Australia. He's never been to Australia. No family, no education there. How they came up with that is anyone's guess.' Guardian Australia approached the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, about the case. The government said it has not been approached by the United States in relation to it. A government spokesperson said there was no new agreement for transfer of US immigration detainees to Australia. 'We consider any application for a visa on its merits, we have not been contacted by the US government about this matter,' the spokesperson said. 'There have been no new agreements made with the Trump Administration on immigration.' Benach told ABC radio many Iranians living in the US had faced arrest and detention. 'He's perplexed. He never would have contemplated that this could have happened.' The Trump administration has taken a hard line on deporting non-citizens from the US, often to countries in South America. The deportation policy has seen people arrested without warning by federal officials around the US, and has sparked a series of legal challenges. While there is currently no arrangement for receiving deportees from US, a 2016 deal was reached by Barack Obama and then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull for the transfer of up to 1,250 people held in Australia's offshore immigration detention system. Men, women and children from Sudan, Iran, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were among the first people resettled in the US, after being held in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. The agreement attracted Trump's rage after he became president in early 2017, prompting him to hit out at the 'the worst deal ever' in a fiery conversation with Turnbull. Leaks of a transcript of the conversation shook the American alliance. Trump reluctantly agreed to honour the deal, the terms of which have never been made public. More than 1,100 people were transferred to the US, according to statistics compiled by the Refugee Council of Australia.
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Man who has lived in the US for 40 years faces deportation to Australia despite having no ties to the country
A man who has lived in the United States for four decades has been detained by immigration officers and told he could be forcibly removed not to his native Iran, but to either Australia or Romania - countries with which he has no known ties. Reza Zavvar was arrested just metres from his home in Maryland five weeks ago by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and he is now being held in a privately operated detention centre in Ohio, facing an uncertain future far from his family. The Iranian-born man moved to the US in 1985 at the age of 12, but despite living, working, and building a life in America for over 40 years, he never obtained US citizenship. He was the only member of his family not to do so. Zavvar previously held a green card, but lost it in 2004 after two minor marijuana-related offences which dated back to the 1990s. Despite this, he was granted a non-expulsion order preventing his removal to Iran, allowing him to remain legally in the US. Fresh court documents reveal the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to deport him to either Romania or Australia. Why those countries were selected remains unclear as Zavvar is not a citizen of either, nor has he ever lived in the two countries. 'Being in a grey area with lots of question marks, it's torture,' his mother, Firouzeh Firouzabadi, told 9News. She said he was taken into custody while walking his dog and that she hasn't seen him since. The Australian government has expressed concern and confusion over the decision, saying it had not been consulted. 'We consider any application for a visa in its merits, we have not been contacted by the US government about this matter,' a spokesperson said. Immigration lawyer Ava Beach added, 'Australia doesn't seek to be a place where America deports people to who aren't Americans. How they picked those countries is a mystery to me.' Zavvar's case has raised questions about a controversial deportation tactic reportedly expanded under President Donald Trump's administration, one that allows ICE to target long-term residents with old or minor convictions and send them to third countries with little or no personal connection. 'This is not something we've seen involving Australia before,' said Mahsa Khanbabai, a board director with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, who spoke to ABC News. 'Normally, what we've been seeing is that the Trump administration is targeting countries where they feel they have some leverage, that they feel they can push around and bully. Australia is not a country that we would normally consider to be in such a position.' ICE has defended the move, calling Zavvar a 'criminal illegal alien' and pointing to his past conviction for attempted possession of a controlled substance as justification for deportation. 'ICE continues to try and find a country willing to accept this criminal illegal alien,' said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. The US government insists it is following through on promises to tighten immigration enforcement with around 40 per cent of those currently in ICE custody having a criminal record, according to recent DHS figures. Meanwhile, Zavvar's family and supporters are rallying to fight the deportation, launching a petition and fundraising campaign to cover legal costs. 'After 40 years of living in the US, Reza knows no other home,' his sister Maryam wrote online. 'He waits in a privately run detention centre, thousands of miles from anything familiar, while bureaucrats decide his future.'
