Overview
- Arfat Sheikh was taken into U.S. immigration custody after deplaning at Washington Dulles International Airport on September 24, according to DHS and multiple news reports.
- The Department of Homeland Security said Sheikh legally entered the U.S. on a temporary basis and then overstayed his lawful admission, while supporters say he has a pending asylum application and work authorization.
- Friends and campaigners released video and eyewitness accounts showing plainclothes officers surrounding Sheikh on the jetway and say no warrant was shown as he was taken into custody.
- Sheikh remains held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia, and his scheduled procedural and bond hearings have been delayed as his lawyers and supporters press for release.
- Supporters have launched a 'Free Arfat Sheikh' campaign and GoFundMe to pay legal fees, and his detention has drawn attention because his award-winning film work on Kashmir has made him a prominent voice on displacement and human rights.