Afghan Translator for US Military Detained by ICE, Sparks Outcry and Legal Battle
Afghan Translator for US Military Detained by ICE, Sparks Outcry and Legal Battle
An Afghan wartime translator, Zia S, who risked his life assisting US troops and legally entered the United States in October 2024 with a special immigration visa (SIV), remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in Plymouth, Massachusetts. His arrest last week in East Hartford, Connecticut, following a routine green card biometrics appointment, has ignited a fierce controversy and ongoing legal battle.
The detention of Zia S, a 35-year-old husband and father of five, is being widely condemned by members of Congress and human rights advocates. They view it as a troubling escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, potentially flouting legal agreements and promises made to allies. Despite a judge issuing a temporary stay preventing his removal from the US, Zia S has not been released from detention.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) decried the incident as an “abhorrent violation of basic decency,” emphasizing Zia’s courageous service to American values. Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT) also voiced alarm, highlighting the critical importance of upholding US credibility with allies who have risked everything for American democracy.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that Zia S is under investigation for a “serious criminal allegation,” a claim his attorney, Lauren Petersen, vehemently denies. Petersen asserts Zia has no criminal history, has followed all rules, and warns that deportation would put his life at immediate risk due to threats from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.
This incident marks the third known detention of an Afghan ally by ICE since the Trump administration’s return to power, raising significant concerns about the future of the SIV program and the broader treatment of foreign nationals who aided US efforts abroad. The administration is also reportedly seeking to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for multiple countries, including Afghanistan, despite ongoing unstable conditions.
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