A former soldier of the Afghan National Army, currently applying for asylum in the United States, was arrested by federal immigration agents in the Houston area last month, raising significant concerns about his family’s safety amidst potential deportation threats.
According to Ali Zakaria, the immigration attorney representing the soldier—who requested anonymity for safety reasons—the individual has eight children, two of whom were born in the U.S. in the last four years.
The man was brought to the U.S. by American armed forces in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.
Zakaria explained that the soldier had been employed with the Kandahar Strike Force, a unit of the Afghan military responsible for guarding a base shared by U.S. and Afghan troops.
Despite his ongoing asylum application, which Zakaria believes should provide him with protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents appear to have dismissed his status.
Zakaria affirmed that his client holds no criminal record, has never been charged with any crime, and is a law-abiding individual in the U.S.
“The ICE officers took him away,” Zakaria stated, noting that the soldier attempted to explain his valid parole status upon entering the U.S., which he believed was still effective until nearly the end of the year.
However, according to Zakaria, the ICE agent responded dismissively, stating, “We have canceled everything, and you’re out of status.
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