by Sonia Ahmed The New Haven independent
Contributed photo Zia S.: Still detained by ICE in Mass.
PLYMOUTH, MASS. — After meeting with a local Afghan immigrant who risked his life for the U.S. military only to be detained by ICE while applying for a green card, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said on Wednesday that, despite the detainee’s big smile, “his eyes are sad.”
Blumenthal remarked on his meeting with Zia S. at a Wednesday press conference held in Plymouth, Mass. The meeting at the Plymouth detention center came weeks after the Independent first broke the news of Zia’s arrest by federal immigration officials.
Zia, who lives in a New Haven suburb, was arrested by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on July 16, outside a U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in East Hartford, following a routine appointment related to his green card application. Zia fled Afghanistan after having served as a translator for the U.S. military. The Taliban tortured his family because of his role, according to Blumenthal. Zia came to the U.S legally in October 2024 on a humanitarian parole visa and followed the procedures for obtaining a green card.
Blumenthal relayed that Zia is scheduled to have a hearing in September after ICE had sought to deport him on an expedited basis, and that Blumenthal is working closely with his lawyer, Lauren Cundick Petersen, to make sure all resources are used to ensure Zia’s freedom. Petersen did not respond to a request for comment at the time of this article’s publication.
“I am going to do everything I can to make sure he is freed,” Blumenthal said.
The senator described Zia as “a lovely, decent human being.” He said that Zia expressed his worry to Blumenthal about his family, as he is separated from his five children and his wife, and is the breadwinner of his family. Blumenthal said that Zia said his children cry when he calls them.
According to Blumenthal, Zia added that he is fearful of going back to Afghanistan, stating that “they would chop my head off.”
Blumenthal also noted that the government is spending $215 per day to detain Zia, which he described as “stupid”.”
“The only reason he’s there is because ICE has to make a quota.”
The senator added that ICE characterizing Zia as a national security risk is “the biggest bunch of baloney,” and that he had received no information as to how that could be true.
“He’s done nothing wrong, and he has done everything right,” Blumenthal said. “He wants to be here more than most Americans,” because he has seen the alternative.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not respond to requests for comment by the publication time of this article.