Detention of an Iranian Asylum-Seeking Woman in Los Angeles; Reactions to Security Crackdowns on Refugees Following U.S. Airstrikes on Iran

Detention of an Iranian Asylum-Seeking Woman in Los Angeles; Reactions to Security Crackdowns on Refugees Following U.S. Airstrikes on Iran

According to AfgNews24, a disturbing video recently published from Los Angeles shows an Iranian asylum-seeking woman suffering a nervous breakdown as U.S. immigration officers attempt to detain her. The video, captured by an eyewitness, has gained wide attention across social media platforms.

Reverend Ara Torossian, one of the key eyewitnesses to the incident, told Reuters: “The woman was initially taken to the emergency department of a hospital, but immediately after being discharged, federal agents transferred her directly to a detention center for immigrants.”

This incident is reportedly part of a new wave of detentions targeting Iranian asylum seekers in the United States, which has escalated following the recent U.S. airstrikes on targets inside Iran. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had previously stated that such detentions are being carried out in the interest of “national security.”

Human rights activists and several political figures in the U.S. have expressed concern over these developments, warning about the mental and physical well-being of the asylum seekers. Some migrant rights groups have called for an immediate halt to these detentions and urged the Biden administration not to weaponize security protocols against vulnerable refugees.

Earlier, in a video shared across social media yesterday, a group of Iranian-American activists called on the American public, lawmakers, media outlets, and human rights advocates to be the voice of asylum seekers and not remain silent in the face of increasing political and security pressures imposed on them.

This incident raises critical questions about the independence of judicial institutions, the respect for human rights of asylum seekers, and the impact of geopolitical tensions on the fate of defenseless individuals on American soil.

Reported by: Mohammad Fahim Sajjadi – Founder and Director of AfgNews24, Journalist and Political Analyst