Afghan family with US visas held at Los Angeles airport
US agents detained an Afghan family of five with valid entry visas at Los Angeles International Airport and have been holding them for several days in California, according to legal papers filed in federal court by human rights lawyers.
The couple and their three small children were granted Special Immigrant Visas in return for work the father performed for the US government in Afghanistan that put the family’s lives at risk, the International Refugee Assistance Project said in its court filing seeking their release.
However, US Customs and Border Protection ( CBP) agents detained the family shortly after their arrival at the airport on Tuesday and has held them in isolation, without access to legal counsel, according to the petition.
The petition, filed in US District Court in Santa Ana, California, south of Los Angeles, says the family was taken into custody “with absolutely no justification whatsoever,” a violation of due process rights under the US Constitution.
“Despite repeated requests, the CBP has provided no information regarding why the family was detained, whether they have been questioned, and whether any reason at all exists to justify their continued detention,” the petition states.
CBP declined to comment on the matter, which is set for a hearing on Monday before a federal court in Santa Ana that barred a move by the government to separate the family by sending the children and their mother, who cannot speak or read English, to Texas.
Immigrant advocates are increasingly concerned about tougher scrutiny of US residents and visitors from abroad, even those with the proper documentation, under moves by President Donald Trump to tighten immigration policies on grounds of national security.
The petition said he qualified for a special visa under a program requiring proof of having worked for the US Armed Forces or American diplomatic corps for at least 12 months, “as well as proof of completion of a background check and screening.”
“It is extremely unusual if not entirely unique” for someone with this type of visa to be detained upon arrival. The visas require extreme vetting to get,” said Talia Inlender, a lawyer with the legal aid group Public Counsel who is part of the family’s defense team.