Latest news with #SayedNaser
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
He Helped American Soldiers in Afghanistan. Now He's in ICE Detention
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Federal agents detained a former U.S. Army interpreter from Afghanistan, forced to flee his home country because of the Taliban, at his asylum hearing in California last week. The arrest at an immigration court in San Diego on Thursday was caught on video, with Sayed Naser heard calmly telling the masked agents detaining him that he worked as an interpreter in his home country. Newsweek reached out to Naser's attorney and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment via contact form and email Wednesday morning. Why It Matters Afghans who worked with the U.S. military during its 20-year stretch in the country were welcomed to the U.S. as refugees, on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, but some have had TPS withdrawn by the Trump administration, opening them up to the prospect of deportation. Sayed Naser is arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at a courthouse in San Diego on June 12, 2025. Sayed Naser is arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at a courthouse in San Diego on June 12, 2025. AfghanEvac What To Know Naser was legally paroled into the U.S. in 2024, per immigration documents shared with Newsweek, having applied for asylum using the Biden-era CBP One app and entering via the San Ysidro port of entry on the southwest border. The interpreter, who worked with the U.S. military for about three years, had a pending SIV application, wanting to stay in the U.S. out of fear he would be detained, tortured and killed should he return to Afghanistan. His brother was killed by the Taliban in 2023, while his father was abducted. "While collaborating with U.S. forces, I faced numerous threats and attacks," Naser wrote in his declaration to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). "Several times, I narrowly escaped harm, but over seven of our vehicles were burned by the Taliban. "To them, anyone or any company working with foreign forces is considered an infidel and a legitimate target for killing. For this reason, after the fall [of the] government, it became impossible for us to live in Afghanistan. We had to leave the country by any means necessary." Naser's story is similar to many who had helped American troops and were left behind during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in 2021. He first traveled to Brazil before making the journey north to the U.S.-Mexico border via the notorious Darien Gap. On Thursday, Naser had his immigration court hearing in San Diego, but the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attorney reportedly said that his case was "'improvidently issued," giving Naser and his attorney, Brian McGoldrick, 10 days to respond. McGoldrick said at a briefing Tuesday that an asylum hearing was set for September and court was adjourned. Outside the courtroom, ICE agents were waiting and demanded to know Naser's name. When agents asked McGoldrick for documents, he said in the video that he had none for them. Agents then moved to take Naser, placing him in handcuffs as he turned to the camera. "I worked with the U.S. military back in my home country, I have all the documents, I didn't have a credible-fear interview," Naser said, repeatedly saying he worked with the U.S. military before agents took him away to the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Naser's arrest was denounced by the group Unite for Veterans, which said that the U.S. had a responsibility to protect Afghan allies. The advocacy group #AfghanEvac also called out the federal government for breaking its promise to those who served alongside U.S. troops. ICE has increased its detention efforts at immigration courts across the country, amid pressure from the White House to reach a daily arrest target of 3,000 immigrants. What People Are Saying Brian McGoldrick, Naser's attorney, at a press briefing Tuesday: "It's really shocking what's happening in the courthouse in San Diego and around the country. You walk down the hall and it's like you're walking down executioner's just so intimidating. The clients are terrorized." #AfghanEvac, in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Let's be clear: "Improvidently issued" is being abused. It has no standard meaning, no transparency, and no accountability. It is being weaponized to short-circuit due process and to meet quiet enforcement quotas. And Sayed is not alone. This is part of a broader pattern: quietly shutting doors, denying pathways, and undermining the very mechanisms we created to keep our promises to our allies." Unite for Veterans, in a press release: "Our Afghan allies protected us when we needed them. They shared our humvees. They were wounded with us. They gave their lives to protect us. Now it is our turn to look after them. We owe them. They are our teammates, our fellow soldiers, patriots. We cannot let those who risked their lives for our shared values be denied the safety and opportunity they deserve and that we promised them." What Happens Next Naser remains in custody and is awaiting further hearings. ICE has not commented on the case.
Yahoo
a day ago
- 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
a day ago
- 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."
