An 18-year-old Cheshire High School senior, identified as Rihan, was detained by ICE on April 6 while returning from spring break and is being held at a Massachusetts facility about 170 miles from his home. Rihan legally entered the U.S. with his family under humanitarian parole in October 2024 — a status his attorneys say remains valid — and they contend his arrest resulted from an administrative error. ICE says he was arrested on federal immigration violations and will face removal proceedings. Local officials, advocates and Senator Richard Blumenthal are calling for his swift release so he can finish school and graduate with his classmates.
18-Year-Old Afghan Senior Detained by ICE While Returning From Spring Break; Family Calls It An Administrative Error
Rihan is a senior at Cheshire High School in Connecticut. (NBC Connecticut)(NBC Connecticut)
An 18-year-old Cheshire High School senior, identified only as Rihan by his attorneys, was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on April 6 while returning from spring break. He is being held at an immigration facility in Massachusetts roughly 170 miles from his Connecticut home, interrupting his final months of high school and preparations for graduation.
Background
Rihan and his family legally entered the United States in October 2024 after receiving humanitarian parole, a status his attorneys say was granted because the family faced direct threats in Afghanistan. His father, Zia, served as an interpreter for U.S. military forces, a role that attorneys contend put the family at risk and was the basis for U.S. authorities approving their parole.
How the Arrest Happened
According to a habeas corpus petition filed on Rihan’s behalf, ICE agents stopped the car he was in with his uncle and younger brother. The petition alleges that three to four ICE vehicles activated sirens, officers in masks emerged and — without presenting a warrant or court order — arrested Rihan after claiming his parole had expired. The petition describes the claim that his parole expired in October 2025 as erroneous and says the arrest resulted from an administrative mistake.
“We believe an administrative error caused Rihan’s detention. We are hopeful this will be corrected promptly, allowing him to return home soon, graduate with his classmates from Cheshire High School, and continue his plans to pursue higher education,” said Catalina Samper-Horak, executive director of The American Immigrant Legal Clinic, which represents the family.
ICE Response And Legal Process
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told NBC News that ICE arrested Rihan "on federal immigration violations and issued him a Notice to Appear before a judge. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. All his claims will be heard, and he will receive full due process." The spokesperson also used strongly critical language about the humanitarian parole programs used by the previous administration.
Rihan, an Afghan refugee teen, is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts. (NBC Connecticut)(NBC Connecticut)
Family And Community Reaction
Rihan’s attorneys and school officials say he was a strong student who worked hard to learn English and excel academically. Cheshire High School and the family’s legal team have been coordinating to keep him on track academically, including sending homework and assignments to him through his attorneys at the detention center so he can continue coursework while detained.
“Rihan worked really hard to learn English, excel at school and be an A student. Now, he is worried, his family is worried and his school is worried,” said Samper-Horak.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called the arrest “appalling,” saying the family helped U.S. forces in Afghanistan and deserves protection rather than persecution. Local advocates and organizations that assist Afghan evacuees have also urged Rihan’s release so he can finish his senior year and graduate with his classmates.
Context
Rihan’s family is among more than 190,000 Afghans resettled in the United States since 2021 after emergency efforts to bring at-risk Afghans to safety during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. In recent months, federal authorities have increased scrutiny of some who entered under humanitarian parole programs, and Rihan’s father was detained last year during an immigration appointment before a court ordered his release months later.
The family and their attorneys say they are working through legal channels to secure Rihan’s release and correct what they describe as an administrative error. Meanwhile, classmates, school officials and community leaders continue to push for his return in time to graduate.
Note: This article compiles statements from the family’s legal representatives, school officials, local elected leaders and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson. Some details of the government’s basis for the arrest are under legal review and may be clarified in court proceedings.
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