Iranian attending college in Boston is denied entry to US

BOSTON — An Iranian student attending college in Boston was denied entry to the U.S. and ordered to immediately fly back to his native country, despite a court order temporarily staying his removal, immigration lawyers and civil rights groups said Tuesday.

Shahab Dehghani, a 24year-old economics student at Northeastern University, arrived in Boston with a valid student visa but was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at Logan International Airport, according to his lawyer Kerry Doyle.

Customs officials ordered Dehghani to leave on the next available flight because they determined he was intending to reside in the U.S. longer than his temporary student visa allowed, Doyle said.

Dehghani’s lawyers reject that claim. They say he had attended the University of Massachusetts Boston before transferring to Northeastern, had undergone a nearly oneyear visa review and planned to return to Iran when he completed his studies.

“He’s understandably upset,” said Heather Yountz, a lawyer also involved in Dehghani’s case. “He’s been a student here in Massachusetts for two years. His life has now been turned around.”

Northeastern University said it has also been in touch with federal officials to get Dehghani back to Boston for his classes.

“We still have not received a satisfactory explanation from Customs and Border Protection for this action,” the university said late Tuesday. “Only in the most extreme instances should students have their academic pursuits interrupted by government intervention.”