Muhanad J. M. Alshrouf, a 22-year-old Palestinian man, was released from federal immigration detention at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Monday evening after spending nine days in custody.
His attorney, Maria Kari, who serves as the executive director of the nonprofit Project TAHA, confirmed that Alshrouf was released around 5 p.m. on Monday.
Alshrouf had traveled to Houston from Dubai on an Emirates Airlines flight on July 5 after obtaining a U.S. immigrant visa.
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement on Monday advocating for Alshrouf’s release.
Kari expressed concern over the lack of clarity from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which provided no reason for either Alshrouf’s detention or his release.
She noted, “Muhanad has no criminal history anywhere in the world. There is no disqualifying conduct there for Muhanad to be treated in this way, and yet he was treated like he’s a criminal.”
Kari criticized the broader treatment of individuals from certain backgrounds under the administration of President Donald Trump, implying a systemic profiling of Palestinians, even those with lawful status.
“Palestinians are being systematically profiled, they’re being detained, they’re being humiliated, they’re being completely dehumanized by this administration,” she stated.
Kari speculated that many others like Alshrouf might be experiencing similar injustices in detention across the country.
In response to inquiries, CBP issued a statement indicating that it cannot discuss individual cases due to federal privacy laws.
They emphasized that holding a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, as a CBP officer must determine eligibility for admission under U.S. immigration laws.
A representative from Houston Airports clarified their limited role, stating they manage airport facilities, while CBP holds jurisdiction over passenger screening.
Alshrouf had traveled to Houston to reunite with his father, who is a U.S. citizen and resident of Fort Bend County.
Kari provided context for Alshrouf’s journey, stating, “He would never have gotten that far in the process if there had not been a complete clearance on the security front — both from the United States government, but also the Israeli authorities, which issued a security clearance for him back in May of this year, allowing him to travel to the U.S.”
According to CBP protocols, individuals are typically not to be held for more than 72 hours without release, deportation, or transfer to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
However, Alshrouf’s nine-day detention raised questions about the enforcement of such policies.
Kari pointed out that Alshrouf was held in a small waiting room without proper amenities, stating, “There’s no holding cell at the airport. To the best of our knowledge, what they do have is a waiting lounge with about 30 seats and counters, and people go in there when they have to be inspected a little bit longer, but you certainly don’t go in there and then disappear into a black hole — sort of this purgatory where you’re disappeared for nine days.”
Following his release, Alshrouf was resting and reunited with his family.
Kari mentioned that she and her legal team are still contemplating Alshrouf’s legal options going forward.
“I picked Muhanad up from the airport, and it was seriously beautiful to see him reuniting with his Baba Jamal,” she recounted, referring to Alshrouf’s father.
Kari added that despite being held incommunicado, Alshrouf was aware that efforts were being made to contact him during his detention.
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
