US veterans stand by Afghans in immigration court

On June 12, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicant Sayed Naser was arrested by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials outside an immigration courtroom in San Diego. Before Naser’s arrest, government officials motioned to dismiss his asylum case.

Naser’s arrival in the United States came on the heels of years of fear and uncertainty following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. On his SIV application, Naser cited multiple years of work for the U.S. government as a translator and logistics contractor, which reportedly put him in the Taliban’s sights.