US wartime ally embraces freedom after spending ‘hardest days’ of his life in ICE detention 

Sayed Naser at a press conference on Oct in San Diego talking to an advocate Photo Courtesy of AfghanEvac Credit Photo Courtesy of AfghanEvac An ally of the U S Army in Afghanistan on Thursday shared his thoughts on being free after spending months in immigration detention For one it gave him a new perspective I can say that freedom is the most of beautiful feeling the man identified only as Sayed Naser commented during a morning press conference at the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park with his brother attorney and advocates alongside him For another recalling the day in June when he was first surrounded by immigration officers he stated he did not believe he was truly being detained until he met others in the same situation One day in detention he noted felt like an entire month and among the greater part intricate trials he experienced was finding himself wearing prison garb In all he called his three-plus months in custody the hardest days of my life I never expected to be detained in the United States of America because I was a U S governing body ally back in my home country Sayed explained His attorney and supporters petitioned that Sayed s full name be withheld for safeguard reasons while standing with him Thursday They gave him almost a week to recuperate from his time in detention before he appeared to offer his first detailed constituents comments about his ordeal but his situation has attracted substantial attention since the summer He is aware of that promotion and spoke of the large number of people in this country who disapproved of his detention They stand with me Sayed commented It shows that the Americans are there with their allies they help us Sayed was arrested by immigration officers in June at his first asylum hearing since entering the U S legally last year after fleeing Afghanistan Despite being granted humanitarian parole executive attorneys disclosed his notice to appear in court was improvidently issued He was then arrested and placed in expedited removal proceedings Though his regular immigration incident was still pending the authorities did not offer him an explanation or a chance to be heard in court after his detention Last Friday U S District Judge Gonzalo Curiel ordered Sayed s release finding that he had been deprived of his due process rights The full order was issued Thursday Along with his release the judge ordered that his original parole conditions should be restored I helped the U S leadership back in my home country and I expected them to provide me with a legal path to become a U S citizen Sayed announced Allies were promised protection in the U S in return for their services in Afghanistan in aid of the U S military mission Under the Trump administration these protections have been dismantled Sayed had work authorization but lost his job during his months in detention He commented he previously worked in sales and enjoys finance so he will resume looking for work in either of those fields His attorney Brian McGoldrick revealed that a habeas corpus petition was the only option to get Sayed s release ICE was recalcitrant They were not going to let him out McGoldrick explained Despite the celebration of his release the attorney stated the fight is not over Sayed is still awaiting adjudication of his Special Immigrant Visa and has his asylum claim to defend Shawn VanDiver executive director of AfghanEvac a nonprofit that supports relocation and resettlement of Afghan allies called Sayed brave He s taken on a lot of threat by being out here And I think it s a testament to his character that he s taken on an unexpected leadership role Rep Scott Peters D-San Diego left a recorded video message directed to the former detainee saying I wish all of these stories could turn out like yours that you re back that you re free and that you re part of our American district the congressman explained Sayed Naser gave his first official announcement at a press conference with his brother and advocates alongside Screenshot from AfghanEvac s Sayed Release Press Conference Oct YouTube video Oct www youtube com watch v ZhZlSuqXBB Oct Credit Screenshot from AfghanEvac's Sayed Release Press Conference Oct YouTube video Oct www youtube com watch v ZhZlSuqXBB Oct AfghanEvac