An Iranian national residing in Yamhill County was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while he was en route to his gym on the morning of Tuesday.
According to his lawyer, Michael Purcell, the individual, who is referenced in court documents as S.F., was initially stopped around 7 a.m. and later transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma after a brief detention in Portland.
Purcell reported that S.F. was scheduled for a check-in next month at the ICE facility in Portland, highlighting the sudden nature of the arrest.
This incident happens against the backdrop of a broader crackdown on Iranian nationals within the United States, as ICE announced the arrest of 11 Iranian individuals across various states in response to directives from President Donald Trump aimed at securing the homeland.
The arrests spanned multiple states, including Alabama, Texas, and New York, reflecting an intensified effort by immigration officials.
Additionally, on the same day as S.F.’s arrest, ICE agents apprehended another asylum seeker from Afghanistan as he returned home from a mandated court appearance.
Videos recently surfaced depicting ICE agents arresting immigrants in public spaces, which raises concerns about the agency’s approach to detentions, particularly amid ongoing legal proceedings.
Purcell filed a petition and a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court in Portland just over three hours after S.F. was seized.
Unfortunately, he was unable to reach his client in time, arriving at the ICE building only to find that S.F. had already been moved to Tacoma.
During a hearing held via video feed, U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai heard arguments pertaining to Purcell’s request for a restraining order against S.F.’s removal.
Purcell asserted that the process infringed on his client’s Fifth Amendment due process rights, accusing ICE of exploiting the system in a manner detrimental to immigrants.
The judge ruled that federal officials must give 48 hours’ written notice before moving S.F. from Washington State, requiring an explanation justifying any potential transfer or removal.
As the legal landscape shifts, immigration attorneys have raised alarms that ICE has begun to detain asylum seekers directly off the streets, rather than allowing them to attend their scheduled check-ins or immigration court dates.
S.F.’s immigration history dates back to the early 2000s when he sought asylum but was denied in 2002.
Though he filed an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals, it was dismissed in 2004, leading to a final removal order that has not been acted upon by the government in the intervening two decades.
In light of recent geopolitical developments, particularly following airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, Purcell has called attention to the shifted conditions in Iran, asserting that such changes warrant a reevaluation of S.F.’s status in the U.S.
His petition argues that S.F.’s long-term residency, his U.S. citizen wife and children, coupled with his conversion to Christianity, significantly increase the risk of persecution he would face if returned to Iran.
Another asylum seeker, identified only as E-M, was also arrested the same day after attending an immigration court hearing.
E-M, a 24-year-old Afghan national, fled to the U.S. due to threats from the Taliban against his Shia Muslim background.
He had complied with all legal requirements since arriving in California, yet his arrest has been labeled as unwarranted by his legal team.
They argue that the government is misusing the immigration detention system to retaliate against individuals who assert their rights in the legal process.
After a recent incident in which a Colombian man was arrested following an immigration court appearance, the legal team has opted to transfer petitions related to his case to the jurisdiction of the Western District of Washington.
This move coincides with an apparent increase in aggressive ICE enforcement, leaving many immigrants and their advocates on high alert regarding their legal rights and protections.
The growing number of such incidents highlights the complex and often fraught landscape of immigration enforcement under the current administration, raising critical questions about the future of immigrant rights and protections in the United States.
Maxine Bernstein, a journalist specializing in federal court and criminal justice, covered these developments extensively.
For additional information, she can be reached at 503-221-8212 or [email protected], and can be followed on X @maxoregonian or LinkedIn.
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