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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Lawyer Says Afghan Family Detained in LA Will Be Released

An Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles airport will be released Monday, one of their lawyers said.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — An Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles airport will be released Monday, one of their lawyers said.

The mother, father and their three young sons, including a baby, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday for a connecting flight to Washington state, where they planned to resettle. Instead, they were detained by U.S. immigration officials.

Over the weekend, a federal judge issued a temporary order blocking federal authorities from removing the family from California and calling for a hearing Monday afternoon on their case.

Talia Inlender, senior staff attorney for Public Counsel, said immigration authorities agreed to release the family from custody Monday. The family will be allowed to remain in the country subject to an immigration review at a later time, said Inlender, one of a team of lawyers representing the family.

Messages seeking comment were left for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice.

The father worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan and was able to obtain special immigrant visas for his family.

After being stopped at the airport, he was held at a detention center. His wife and young sons were detained at a hotel, lawyers said.

The family's names have not been released.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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