We begin with a story out of Washington state that is sparking outrage across the country. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained a disabled U.S. military veteran during what was supposed to be his citizenship interview.
Officials confirm that Muhammad Zahid Chaudhry, a Pakistani-born Army veteran who has lived in the United States for 25 years, was taken into custody Thursday morning in Tukwila. He is currently being held at the Northwest Detention Center.
Chaudhry, who served in the U.S. Army in the 1990s and was discharged for medical reasons, has lived in America for decades with a green card. His wife says he was left permanently disabled after injuries to his back and neck during military service, and now relies on a wheelchair.
This latest detention comes amid the Trump administration’s sweeping crackdown on immigration. The president has pledged to launch what he calls the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, targeting not only undocumented immigrants but also some legal residents with old convictions.
Chaudhry’s case dates back over a decade, when ICE sought to deport him over a misdemeanor fraud charge from Australia that he failed to disclose on a visa application. Local reports also indicate he once misrepresented his citizenship on an application to become a police reserve officer. He has long denied intentional wrongdoing.
His wife, Melissa Chaudhry, who ran for Congress last year, issued a statement describing him as “a beloved husband, a tender father, and a patriotic American”, calling on ICE to release him immediately. Civil rights advocates, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have also condemned the arrest, saying it highlights disproportionately harsh treatment of Muslim immigrants under the current administration.
The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, defended the operation, saying ICE is focused on removing “the worst of the worst” criminal aliens and is carrying out the largest deportation mission in U.S. history.
For now, Chaudhry remains in custody, separated from his wife and two young children, as his case once again moves through the immigration system.
Reporting by Katy Moore.
