Trump’s ICE Detains Afghans Who Helped U.S. Forces
In his first month back in office, President Donald Trump has raised alarms for Afghan allies in the U.S. who have spent years unsuccessfully seeking asylum or permanent residency after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The BBC has reported that Afghans have already been deported, and are among the 299 migrants living in a Panamanian hotel without access to legal representation.
Nasib, a former Afghan intelligence officer, was detained two weeks ago during a regular check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I spoke with Susan, the immigration lawyer representing Nasib. (Pseudonyms are being used to protect both against retribution.)
In her practice, Susan has helped hundreds of Afghans seek safety in the U.S. Nasib became her client in February 2024, just weeks after he claimed asylum at the border with Mexico and was paroled into the U.S.
Nasib served 13 years in Afghan military intelligence, training alongside American personnel and working closely with international partners. According to Susan, he saved many American lives. In a letter of recommendation shared with Reason, a U.S. intelligence professional assigned to mentor Nasib praised his vital work and called him “trustworthy and loyal.”
Nasib’s work put him squarely in the sights of the Taliban, who began targeting their enemies while seizing control of the country in the summer of 2021 and have continued their campaign of reprisal unimpeded.
To avoid a gruesome death, Nasib and his brother attempted to flee the country through Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. They were outside Abbey Gate on August 26 when an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated explosives, killing 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans. Nasib’s brother l
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