Afghan Man Who Aided U.S. Troops Detained by ICE After San Diego Court Hearing
Sayed Naser, a wartime interpreter, now faces expedited removal despite Taliban death threats and U.S. military service
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The United States has long promised protection to Afghan nationals who risked their lives aiding American troops. But that promise rang hollow last week, when Sayed Naser—a former interpreter for the U.S. Army—was handcuffed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside a San Diego courthouse, potentially setting the stage for his deportation back to the same regime he fled.
The arrest, caught on video by bystanders, shows two masked ICE officers detaining Naser after a routine immigration hearing. No warrant was shown. No confirmation of identity was made public. As agents placed him in handcuffs, Naser pleaded with onlookers: “I worked with the U.S. military back in my home country, Afghanistan.”
Betraying the War-Time Deal
Naser, who has asked that his full name be withheld to protect his family, served U.S. forces for three years during the war in Afghanistan—a commitment that marked him and his loved ones for retaliation. His brother was murdered by the Taliban during a family wedding, an act of revenge that drove Naser to flee the country.
According to his attorney, Brian McGoldrick, Naser legally entered the U.S. via the southern border after a grueling overland journey that began in Afghanistan and passed through Brazil. Despite his cooperation with the military and his risk-laden escape, ICE detained him as part of a sweeping deportation strategy that McGoldrick says is blind to nuance—and loyalty.
“It was all about filling a quota,” said McGoldrick. “They didn’t care that he was an ally. I don’t think anyone even reviewed his service record or asylum justification.”
ICE confirmed Naser’s custody status to NPR, but refused to answer specific questions about his case.
A Wound That Keeps Reopening
Veterans’ advocates say Naser’s arrest is just one example of a much larger betrayal. Sarah Verardo, whose husband was gravely wounded in Afghanistan, heads the group Save Our Allies, which works to assist former military interpreters and partners.
“This is a moral injury,” Verardo told reporters. “We sent these men to war with us. We gave them a promise of safety, and now we’re ripping it away. The Trump administration can pursue immigration reform without abandoning those who stood by our troops.”
The optics are especially sharp considering Verardo’s own family was honored by President Trump at the White House just months ago for their sacrifice. Yet her plea to safeguard Afghan allies appears to be falling on deaf ears.
Legal Entry, Illegal Treatment?
Naser was not an undocumented border crosser. He legally presented himself at the U.S. border, seeking asylum after facing a clear, documented threat from a terrorist organization. Under U.S. immigration law, those who face persecution for assisting U.S. forces abroad may be eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs), yet in practice, bureaucratic gridlock and shifting political tides have delayed or denied thousands of such applications.
Immigration experts argue that the Trump-era enforcement policies, which emphasize arrest quotas and courthouse detentions, are eroding due process and ignoring American moral obligations.
“This isn’t just a broken system—it’s a broken promise,” said one former Department of Homeland Security official, who asked not to be named.
The Bigger Picture: A Nation’s Integrity on Trial
Sayed Naser’s fate is now uncertain. If deported, he will almost certainly face targeted violence or execution by the Taliban. If allowed to stay, he could serve as a living reminder of what it means to be an American ally.
But right now, the system seems more focused on headcounts than humanity. For a country that spent two decades in Afghanistan supposedly promoting freedom and partnership, it’s a dangerous message to send.
Because if helping American troops now leads to handcuffs at a courthouse, who will ever stand with us again?
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