According to reports in The Nation, an Iranian professor, her husband, and their 16-year-old son were held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for 130 days based on the actions of a relative nearly five decades prior.
ICE Detention Sparks Concern Over Familial Liability
Iranian professor Maryam Tahmasebi and her husband, Aysa Hashemi, along with their teenage son, were taken into custody by ICE earlier this year. According to Tahmasebi's letter published in The Nation, the family experienced severe physical and mental decline during four months of detention.
The 1979 Hostage Crisis Connection
The detention stems from events that occurred decades before Hashemi was born. In 1979, during the Iran hostage crisis when a student group detained 53 Americans, Hashemi’s mother worked as a bilingual translator between the armed group and the hostages. Hashemi is also the son of former Iranian political activist Masoumeh Ebtekar, according to source reports. Hashemi was arrested on April 9 and transferred to a Texas detention facility, while Tahmasebi and their son were arrested the following day.
Did you know? Tahmasebi and Hashemi arrived in the United States legally in 2014 and obtained permanent residency permits in 2016 before taking up professor positions in Los Angeles.
Legal Defense and Comparisons to Historical Internment
Family attorney Tala Alfolooh stated that her clients were detained without lawful intent and that the government’s actions effectively prevented the family from leaving the country voluntarily. Alfolooh compared the case to the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, noting that the family was targeted based on their identity and parentage rather than any personal criminal acts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was detained by ICE?
Iranian professor Maryam Tahmasebi, her husband Aysa Hashemi, and their 16-year-old son were detained by ICE for 130 days.
Why was the family targeted by immigration enforcement?
According to Tahmasebi’s published letter, the detention was prompted by Hashemi’s mother serving as a translator during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, decades before Hashemi was born.
When did the family legally enter the United States?
The family arrived in the U.S. legally in 2014 and secured permanent residency permits in 2016 while working as professors in Los Angeles.
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