Milad Aspari, a green card holder from Iran, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) after mistakenly crossing into Canada and was arrested upon reentry. Advocates warn that his potential deportation to Iran could endanger his life, given his Kurdish identity.
Newsweek reached out to Aspari’s attorney, ICE, and USCIS for comment via email on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Aspari’s detention comes amid an immigration crackdown by the Trump administration and inflamed U.S. relations with Iran. His legal team argues that his Kurdish ethnic and religious minority identity will complicate his security matters even more after President Donald Trump struck three of the country’s nuclear sites, Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz, on Saturday. Iran later struck a U.S. base in Qatar.
The Trump administration has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. In addition to people residing in the country illegally, immigrants with valid documentation, including green cards and visas, have been detained and face legal jeopardy.
Many people have been deported as a result of Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the president authority to deport noncitizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities.
What To Know
On February 20, Aspari was arrested by ICE officials after he and his work team, who were working just two miles from the Canadian border, accidentally turned into Canada for a few miles due to construction and road closures. As they turned back into the U.S., Aspari was taken into custody. He is currently being held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington.
Aspari is a green card holder who is the father of a U.S. citizen daughter.
His girlfriend, Ruth, whose last name is protected for security reasons, told Seattle news station KING 5 that Aspari left Iran due to religious and political persecution. His lawyer has filed an asylum claim.
Around 10 percent of the population in Iran identifies as Kurdish, roughly between 8 and 12 million people. The ethnic and religious minority has a history of being persecuted in Iran.
On September 16, 2022, a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa (Jina) Amini, died in police custody, with many speculating she was killed by the country’s morality police. She was arrested for a dress code violation, a common arrest for women in Iran. The suspicious circumstances of her death sparked protests across the country and world, branded as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.
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Aspari’s lawyer told KING 5 that a previous assault conviction and a violation of a no-contact order are the reasons his client is still being held in detention. The outlet reported that the no-contact order has been dismissed.
Ruth previously stated that the no-contact order was related to a verbal argument between the couple three years ago. Aspari was booked over it and later signed paperwork that he didn’t understand due to language barriers, Ruth told KING 5.
Their daughter appeared at the court hearing on Wednesday, when the judge ruled to postpone the next hearing for several months.
The Department of Homeland Security arrested 11 Iranian nationals earlier this week amid tensions with Iran.
What People Are Saying
Aspari’s girlfriend Ruth told KING 5 News: “If he goes back to Iran, they’re going to kill him for sure because of religion.”
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Newsweek on June 25, regarding a different case: “Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right; and under our nation’s laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. In addition to immigration removal proceedings, lawful permanent residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention.”
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said in a June 24 press release about the arrest of 11 Iranian nationals: “Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS has been full throttle on identifying and arresting known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through Biden’s fraudulent parole programs or otherwise.
“We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out—and we are. We don’t wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”
What Happens Next
Aspari’s next hearing is expected to take place on July 8.