LEGAL Immigrant Held For 77 Days by ICE – Tells All…

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A legal immigrant with a green card endured 77 days in ICE detention, raising alarming questions about government overreach and the erosion of due process protections for lawful residents under the previous administration’s policies.

Story Overview

  • Reza Zavvar, a Maryland green card holder, was detained by ICE for 77 days despite his legal status
  • Zavvar describes his detention as “inhumane” after being released following legal and advocacy efforts
  • The case highlights potential government overreach in immigration enforcement affecting lawful residents
  • Advocacy groups demand accountability and reforms to prevent similar wrongful detentions

Legal Resident Caught in Enforcement Web

Reza Zavvar’s ordeal began in early June 2025 when ICE detained him during what officials described as a routine check. Despite holding a valid green card and maintaining lawful permanent resident status, Zavvar found himself trapped in the immigration detention system for over two months. His case demonstrates how even legal immigrants can become casualties of aggressive enforcement policies that prioritize detention over due process verification.

Administrative Failures and Constitutional Concerns

Zavvar’s prolonged detention occurred without criminal charges, highlighting serious flaws in ICE’s administrative procedures. Legal representatives confirmed his clean record and valid immigration status, yet bureaucratic inertia kept him confined for 77 days. This situation exemplifies how government agencies can trample individual rights through administrative incompetence, undermining the constitutional protections that should shield lawful residents from arbitrary detention.

Pattern of Government Overreach

This case follows a troubling pattern established during previous administrations where ICE broadened enforcement priorities beyond criminal aliens to include lawful residents caught in administrative snafus. The detention of green card holders like Zavvar represents a dangerous expansion of federal power that threatens the security and rights of legal immigrants who followed proper procedures to establish their status in America.

Advocacy Response and Reform Demands

Civil rights organizations, including ACLU Maryland and CASA, mobilized extensive legal and public pressure campaigns to secure Zavvar’s release. These groups now demand comprehensive reforms to prevent similar wrongful detentions and increase transparency in ICE operations. Their efforts underscore the critical importance of vigilant advocacy in protecting individual rights against government overreach, particularly when bureaucratic errors can destroy lives and families.

Zavvar’s reunion with his Maryland family marks a victory for due process advocates, but his experience serves as a stark warning about the dangers of unchecked administrative power. The case demands congressional oversight and policy reforms to ensure that legal immigrants receive the constitutional protections they deserve under American law.

Sources:

Maryland Green Card Holder Released After ICE Detention – The Washington Post

Immigrant Rights Groups Celebrate Zavvar’s Release – Baltimore Sun

ACLU Maryland Press Release

ICE Detention Practices Under Scrutiny – NPR Maryland