Latest news with #SIV
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Afghan man helped US military against Taliban, almost got a green card. Then, immigration officials came for him
A 35-year-old Afghan translator who aided American troops during the war in Afghanistan has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Connecticut, in a move that has sparked bipartisan outrage and raised questions about the Trump administration's treatment of wartime allies. Identified as Zia S, the man entered the US legally in October 2024 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and humanitarian parole. He was arrested last week after attending a routine biometrics appointment for his green card in East Hartford, according to his attorney and multiple officials. He is currently being held at a detention facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Zia, a father of five, fled Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in 2021. His visa was part of a US programme meant to protect foreign nationals who risked their lives to support US military operations abroad. 'This is the worst kind of abhorrent violation of basic decency,' said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) in a statement quoted by The Guardian. 'He actually worked and risked his life in Afghanistan to uphold the values and rights that are central to democracy.' Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, also from Connecticut, said Zia's family had been left in the dark. 'Our credibility is at stake. We have families who have risked everything not just for themselves, but for their entire family … in the name of standing up for the promises of our American democracy,' Hayes told The Guardian. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Reuters that Zia is under investigation for a 'serious criminal allegation,' though no specifics have been made public. His lawyer, Lauren Petersen, said she has no knowledge of any charges. 'Zia has done everything right. He's followed the rules. He has no criminal history,' she said. 'If he is deported … he faces death.' A federal judge has issued a temporary stay on his deportation, but Zia remains in custody. Zia is the third known Afghan ally to be detained by ICE since Donald Trump returned to office. More than 70,000 Afghans were brought into the US under President Biden's 'Operation Allies Welcome,' but many still face legal limbo. The Trump administration has also moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Venezuela, despite ongoing unrest in those regions.
News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
‘Going Back Means Death': Fate of Afghans Promised US Resettlement Hangs In The Balance
Last Updated: Afghans who assisted US troops in their 2-decade presence in Afghanistan were promised a resettlement in the United States for a better life, however, their future hangs in limbo. The lives of over 250,000 Afghans who worked with the US forces in Afghanistan and were promised resettlement in the United States hang in limbo as the Trump administration is rolling back programmes that were created to assist them, according to a report. Those Afghans live in fear that if they are sent back to Afghanistan, they could face retribution from the ruling Taliban, The Washington Post reported. Such repatriation efforts have already been set in motion in the United Arab Emirates, according to cables obtained by the US media outlet. The Afghans who are living in fear include a woman whose husband the Taliban regime assassinated after he was found fighting alongside the US military, a man who worked with NATO in Afghanistan and then went on to spend around a year like a 'prisoner" in Qatar, among thousands of others waiting in Afghanistan and 90 other countries. They were promised the possibility of a new life in the US after they worked with the US forces. Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the US has stopped processing refugees and cut government funding for Afghan flights through two executive orders. Officials said that this month, the State Department also laid off staff and shut down the office that helped Afghans move to the US. Moving back to Afghanistan 'would be my own death sentence", one Afghan in the UAE said, The Washington Post reported. 'I am not insisting that I must be taken to the United States. My only wish is, please do not hand me over to my executioners," he said on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation from the Taliban. An official described internal deliberations and said, 'Wherever they end up, they end up. They are now another country's problem." The White House denied that the Trump administration does not care about the fate of such Afghans who helped the US military. Trump said on Truth Social over the weekend that he would 'try to save" Afghans who are facing repatriation in the UAE. A senior administration official, who spoke anonymously about internal decisions, said the changes to how Afghan refugees are handled are meant to make sure the US only takes in people the government considers truly deserving. The official added that the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program is still processing about 900 cases each week. SIVs are designed to help Afghans who faced serious danger because they worked with the US. As of May 20, around 167,000 of the more than 250,000 Afghans eligible for resettlement were SIV applicants, the report said, citing a document. During the 20 years of US military's presence in Afghanistan, American troops depended heavily on Afghan locals who worked as interpreters, soldiers, doctors, and civil society workers, among other roles. In 2006, the US created a legal way for these Afghans to move to America to lead a better and safer life. Since the Taliban retook full control in 2021, nearly 195,000 Afghans have been resettled in the US, according to Jessica Bradley Rushing, who was recently laid off as deputy director for communications and engagement at the State Department's Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE). When Trump retuned to office on January 20, 2025, over 250,000 Afghans across 90 countries were eligible for resettlement in the US, Rushing said. According to a State Department report dated May 20, the exact number stands at 269,124. The State Department did not respond when asked if it had approved deportations from the UAE to Afghanistan, The Washington Post reported. The Taliban has, however, said that it welcomes the return of Afghans who are no longer eligible to stay abroad. view comments Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: July 23, 2025, 17:52 IST News world 'Going Back Means Death': Fate of Afghans Promised US Resettlement Hangs In The Balance Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
AI gotta feeling: Mother-daughter duo create SG60 album that hits all the right notes
Siv and her daughter Thashi using AI technology to make music. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SIV AI gotta feeling: Mother-daughter duo create SG60 album that hits all the right notes A mother-daughter duo have released an original album to mark Singapore's 60th birthday. Siv Gandi, 40, and her daughter Thashi, 14, composed the album using a blend of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and cloned vocals. The duo's musical journey started when Thashi was in primary three. "Her best friend had moved away, and to cope with the emotions, she wrote her very first song," Siv recounted. "With encouragement from her music teacher, she composed it into a heartfelt piece. That moment ignited her passion for songwriting. Since then, she has remained deeply committed to developing her musical talents and eventually joined School Of The Arts to further pursue her artistic growth." Without a background in music, Siv was initially unsure how to support Thashi's passion. But in June this year, they began exploring AI music tools. "These tools enabled us to compose, customise and extract stems, making the production more accessible and manageable," Siv said. The duo calls themselves "techbeats85," and their album, dubbed "SG60 Celebration," can be found on Spotify and YouTube . "Each song is lovingly crafted to reflect community, pride, progress and unity, using music as a bridge that connects emotions, technology and identity for listeners to truly celebrate," Siv said. When asked about the process of creating the songs, Siv told Stomp that it typically begins with a core idea or emotion. "For this SG60 project, I led the lyric writing while Thashi helped define the mood and musical direction. Together, we input the lyrics and vocal references into the AI platform, adjusted parameters to align with our vision, and finalised each track with edits and mastering. "The built-in AI mixing and mastering tools delivered surprisingly polished results. To enhance the sound further, we experimented with both live vocal recordings and AI voice cloning, allowing us to achieve clean, cohesive tracks." To the duo, music is more than just melodies and words. Siv shared: "It's a magical tool to express emotions, tell stories and inspire others. Whether it's joy, nostalgia, or national pride, we believe music has the power to connect generations, uplift spirits and bring people together. "We see AI tools as a transformative force in music, opening new possibilities for artists to express themselves in unique and powerful ways." Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Afghan ally detained by ICE after immigration court hearing
An Afghan man who worked alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers last week in San Diego. In a video obtained by CBS News, two unidentified ICE agents put Sayed Naser in handcuffs and escorted him from the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego after he attended a mandatory immigration hearing on Wednesday, June 11. "For more than three years I worked for the U.S. military back in my home country," Naser said in the video as the masked officers took him into custody. "I came here to make a better life. I didn't know this was going to happen like this for me." Naser was legally paroled into the U.S in 2024, according to his lawyer, Brian McGoldrick. In addition to an active asylum case, he has a pending Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) case because of his long history supporting the U.S. military. SIVs are provided to foreign nationals who worked with U.S. military forces in war zones including Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Naser has no criminal record in the U.S. or Afghanistan, according to court records reviewed by CBS News. "This man served with our troops. He came through the front door. He followed every rule. And we locked him up anyway," said Shawn VanDiver, executive director for #AfghanEvac, a nonprofit that advocates for U.S. wartime allies. He said it's unknown how many Afghan allies have been detained by ICE officials. The Department for Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Naser served as a civilian interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan from 2015 to 2018. He and his brothers also co-owned a logistics company that provided anti-mining support to American troops, according to employment records viewed by CBS News. "This individual was an important part of our Company commitment to provide the best possible service for our clients, who were the United States Military in Afghanistan," says one employment document submitted as part of Naser's SIV application. But after the U.S. withdrew from the country in August 2021, his partnership with American forces put targets on the backs of Naser and his family. In 2023, Taliban fighters killed his brother and abducted his father at a family wedding. The attack drove Naser out of the country and forced his wife and children to flee their home. "I cannot return to Afghanistan under any circumstances because I am accused of collaborating with U.S. forces. From the Taliban's perspective, anyone who worked with foreign forces during the past 20 years is a spy, an infidel, and must be killed," Naser wrote in his asylum declaration. His family remains in hiding outside of Afghanistan. After his brother was killed, Naser fled to Brazil, where he was granted a humanitarian visa. He then made the more than 6,000 mile journey on foot through the Darién Gap before reaching Mexico. In 2024, he set up an appointment with U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the app formerly known as CBP One — which allowed migrants to schedule appointments at legal ports of entry — where he was granted lawful parole into the U.S. As part of his asylum process, Naser was required to attend an in-person hearing last week in front of a judge and a lawyer from the Department of Homeland Security. But when Naser showed up to court, the DHS lawyer said that his case was "'improvidently issued." "Nobody knows what that means," said McGoldrick, who tried to dispute the ruling. When pressed, the DHS lawyer refused to clarify further. "'Improvidently issued' is becoming ICE's new catch-all — a vague, unchallengeable justification being used to clear dockets and meet removal and detention quotas," said VanDiver. "It's being weaponized to put lawful, parole-compliant asylum-seekers in cells." When Naser left the courtroom after his hearing ended, he was immediately detained by ICE agents. Naser is now being held in the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. According to McGoldrick, he could be kept there for up to three months while his asylum case is adjudicated. If he is denied asylum, Naser will be put on an expedited removal list and likely deported. His lawyer does not know where he would be deported to, and DHS did not respond to our request for more information. "He's still in shock. He cannot believe this is happening to him," McGoldrick said. Naser's wife, who remains in hiding with their children, found out about her husband's detention when she saw the video of his detainment on social media. Increase in arrests in courthouses The last few weeks have seen an increase in ICE arrests outside of immigration hearings in courthouses around major American cities. In May, CBS News reported that the Trump administration was launching an operation to expedite the deportation of certain migrants by dismissing their cases and subsequently arresting them at courthouses around the country. The move shocked immigration advocates, as their clients are legally required to show up at their hearings. Public arrests outside courts in Los Angeles led to more than a week of demonstrations as protesters faced off against thousands of law enforcement officials, including the National Guard. On Sunday, Mr. Trump called on ICE to increase arrests in order to achieve his goal of the "largest Mass Deportation Operation of Illegal Aliens in History," according to a post on Truth Social, the social media platforms he owns. Reports from within the administration say that White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have been pushing agencies since late May to meet a higher quota of deportations — including as much as 3,000 immigration-related arrests per day. Typically, ICE agents need probable cause in order to detain someone to check their immigration status. This requires a higher standard of evidence pointing to an individual's alleged violation of immigration law. It's not clear in Naser's case what evidence there is that he was violating the law, his lawyer said. ICE provided a warrant for Naser's arrest to his attorney outside the courtroom after he was detained. "It's really shocking what's happening in courthouses in San Diego and around the country," said McGoldrick. "You walk down the hall and it's like you're walking down executioner's row. There's all these armed personnel just eyeballing everybody as we come down. It's just so intimidating that our clients are terrorized." Uncertain future for thousands of Afghans The Trump administration has demonstrated a sharp turn away from supporting Afghans who worked with the U.S. government in the military's two-decade-long conflict with the Taliban. In May, Noem announced that the administration was terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghans. TPS is an immigration designation that allows people from countries deemed dangerous by the U.S. to live and work in the United States without being detained by DHS. Nearly 11,000 Afghans who are in the U.S. under TPS will be at risk of deportation when the change in policy comes into effect in mid-July, said VanDiver. Earlier this month, the Trump administration also instituted a travel ban on nationals from Afghanistan and 11 other countries, citing a need to address security concerns. Ahead of this announcement, over 100,000 Afghan wartime allies and their families had been vetted and cleared to enter the U.S., says #AfghanEvac. They are now unable to travel to the U.S. unless they are granted an SIV visa and can fund their own travel, without government support. Many live in danger of retribution from the Taliban. "Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban. There are still assassinations, arbitrary arrests, and ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women and ethnic minorities," said VanDiver. "The United States cannot abandon its allies and call that immigration policy." Teen questioned after family's quadruple murder Pentagon sends more U.S. forces to Middle East amid Israel-Iran conflict Charleston church marks 10 years since deadly shooting
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing
An Afghan man who worked alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers last week in San Diego. In a video obtained by CBS News, two unidentified ICE agents put Sayed Naser in handcuffs and escorted him from the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego after he attended a mandatory immigration hearing on Wednesday, June 11. "For more than three years I worked for the U.S. military back in my home country," Naser said in the video as the masked officers took him into custody. "I came here to make a better life. I didn't know this was going to happen like this for me." An Afghan ally who served alongside U.S. forces was legally paroled into the U.S. and showed up for his first hearing.@DHSGov detained him anyway—using a vague 'improvidently issued' excuse. He followed the rules. We have the video. This must stop.#AfghanEvac #DueProcess — #AfghanEvac (@afghanevac) June 13, 2025 Naser was legally paroled into the U.S in 2024, according to his lawyer, Brian McGoldrick. In addition to an active asylum case, he has a pending Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) case because of his long history supporting the U.S. military. SIVs are provided to foreign nationals who worked with U.S. military forces in war zones including Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Naser has no criminal record in the U.S. or Afghanistan, according to court records reviewed by CBS News. "This man served with our troops. He came through the front door. He followed every rule. And we locked him up anyway," said Shawn VanDiver, executive director for #AfghanEvac, a nonprofit that advocates for U.S. wartime allies. He said it's unknown how many Afghan allies have been detained by ICE officials. The Department for Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Naser served as a civilian interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan from 2015 to 2018. He and his brothers also co-owned a logistics company that provided anti-mining support to American troops, according to employment records viewed by CBS News. "This individual was an important part of our Company commitment to provide the best possible service for our clients, who were the United States Military in Afghanistan," says one employment document submitted as part of Naser's SIV application. But after the U.S. withdrew from the country in August 2021, his partnership with American forces put targets on the backs of Naser and his family. In 2023, Taliban fighters killed his brother and abducted his father at a family wedding. The attack drove Naser out of the country and forced his wife and children to flee their home. "I cannot return to Afghanistan under any circumstances because I am accused of collaborating with U.S. forces. From the Taliban's perspective, anyone who worked with foreign forces during the past 20 years is a spy, an infidel, and must be killed," Naser wrote in his asylum declaration. His family remains in hiding outside of Afghanistan. After his brother was killed, Naser fled to Brazil, where he was granted a humanitarian visa. He then made the more than 6,000 mile journey on foot through the Darién Gap before reaching Mexico. In 2024, he set up an appointment with U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the app formerly known as CBP One — which allowed migrants to schedule appointments at legal ports of entry — where he was granted lawful parole into the U.S. As part of his asylum process, Naser was required to attend an in-person hearing last week in front of a judge and a lawyer from the Department of Homeland Security. But when Naser showed up to court, the DHS lawyer said that his case was "'improvidently issued." "Nobody knows what that means," said McGoldrick, who tried to dispute the ruling. When pressed, the DHS lawyer refused to clarify further. "'Improvidently issued' is becoming ICE's new catch-all — a vague, unchallengeable justification being used to clear dockets and meet removal and detention quotas," said VanDiver. "It's being weaponized to put lawful, parole-compliant asylum-seekers in cells." When Naser left the courtroom after his hearing ended, he was immediately detained by ICE agents. Sayed Naser, an Afghan man who worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan, is taken into custody by ICE officers at a courthouse in San Diego, California, on June 11, 2025. Image from video/@AfghanEvac Naser is now being held in the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. According to McGoldrick, he could be kept there for up to three months while his asylum case is adjudicated. If he is denied asylum, Naser will be put on an expedited removal list and likely deported. His lawyer does not know where he would be deported to, and DHS did not respond to our request for more information. "He's still in shock. He cannot believe this is happening to him," McGoldrick said. Naser's wife, who remains in hiding with their children, found out about her husband's detention when she saw the video of his detainment on social media. Increase in arrests in courthouses The last few weeks have seen an increase in ICE arrests outside of immigration hearings in courthouses around major American cities. In May, CBS News reported that the Trump administration was launching an operation to expedite the deportation of certain migrants by dismissing their cases and subsequently arresting them at courthouses around the country. The move shocked immigration advocates, as their clients are legally required to show up at their hearings. Public arrests outside courts in Los Angeles led to more than a week of demonstrations as protesters faced off against thousands of law enforcement officials, including the National Guard. On Sunday, Mr. Trump called on ICE to increase arrests in order to achieve his goal of the "largest Mass Deportation Operation of Illegal Aliens in History," according to a post on Truth Social, the social media platforms he owns. Reports from within the administration say that White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have been pushing agencies since late May to meet a higher quota of deportations — including as much as 3,000 immigration-related arrests per day. Typically, ICE agents need probable cause in order to detain someone to check their immigration status. This requires a higher standard of evidence pointing to an individual's alleged violation of immigration law. It's not clear in Naser's case what evidence there is that he was violating the law, his lawyer said. ICE provided a warrant for Naser's arrest to his attorney outside the courtroom after he was detained. "It's really shocking what's happening in courthouses in San Diego and around the country," said McGoldrick. "You walk down the hall and it's like you're walking down executioner's row. There's all these armed personnel just eyeballing everybody as we come down. It's just so intimidating that our clients are terrorized." Uncertain future for thousands of Afghans The Trump administration has demonstrated a sharp turn away from supporting Afghans who worked with the U.S. government in the military's two-decade-long conflict with the Taliban. In May, Noem announced that the administration was terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghans. TPS is an immigration designation that allows people from countries deemed dangerous by the U.S. to live and work in the United States without being detained by DHS. Nearly 11,000 Afghans who are in the U.S. under TPS will be at risk of deportation when the change in policy comes into effect in mid-July, said VanDiver. Earlier this month, the Trump administration also instituted a travel ban on nationals from Afghanistan and 11 other countries, citing a need to address security concerns. Ahead of this announcement, over 100,000 Afghan wartime allies and their families had been vetted and cleared to enter the U.S., says #AfghanEvac. They are now unable to travel to the U.S. unless they are granted an SIV visa and can fund their own travel, without government support. Many live in danger of retribution from the Taliban. "Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban. There are still assassinations, arbitrary arrests, and ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women and ethnic minorities," said VanDiver. "The United States cannot abandon its allies and call that immigration policy."
