(STUDIO CITY) A Studio City shop owner is leading a high-profile push to free his wife after her unexpected ICE detention interrupted what she believed would be her naturalization ceremony in downtown Los Angeles in early August 2025. The woman, Sharareh Moghadam, age 55, is an Iranian green card holder who recently passed her U.S. citizenship exam. Instead of taking the Oath of Allegiance, she was detained by ICE agents and later transferred to a detention facility in Phoenix, Arizona, where she remains as of September 2, 2025.
Her husband, Hooshang Aghdassi, co-owns Elegant Balloons in Studio City and has turned their shop into a community organizing hub. He has gathered nearly 100 signatures on a petition and appealed for help from Rep. Brad Sherman (D‑Sherman Oaks). The case has drawn growing media attention and sparked wider debate over how far immigration enforcement should reach into the lives of lawful permanent residents applying for citizenship, and what protections they have when old or minor convictions surface during the process.
The detention and the dispute
ICE says Moghadam has a criminal history that includes two theft convictions, a factor the agency cites to justify her detention even though she is a legal resident with a completed naturalization exam and a pending oath appointment. Her supporters counter that she has lived in the U.S. for years, runs a family business, and has strong community ties.
They question whether due process and proportional treatment are being honored when a green card holder who has integrated into local life is seized while awaiting a ceremony that usually marks the end of the immigration journey.
“A lawful resident nearing citizenship deserves a fair shot to resolve an old record without being sent hundreds of miles away,” supporters say, reflecting neighborhood concerns.
Health and conditions in custody
Aghdassi says his wife’s health is deteriorating in custody. She is diabetic, has stopped taking insulin after a negative reaction, and is experiencing severe emotional distress. He fears her condition will worsen in a facility far from family and familiar doctors.
Advocates in the San Fernando Valley say the situation illustrates growing worries about medical care inside detention centers, especially as detainee populations surge and staff struggle to keep up with basic needs.
- Family reports: Moghadam secured an attorney in Arizona after her transfer.
- Possible outcomes: If she is not released within a month, she is considering self-deportation, which would end her path to U.S. citizenship and separate her from her Los Angeles life.
- Next step: Her next immigration hearing is expected within weeks and could determine release, deportation, or continuation of the citizenship process.
The Department of Homeland Security has not provided further comment, and Rep. Sherman had not issued a public statement as of September 2.
Policy backdrop: enforcement and consequences
The case lands amid a wider enforcement push. The Biden administration’s 2024–2025 policies have brought more frequent operations, including in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles. In late August 2025, White House border czar Tom Homan said enforcement would be “ramping up,” signaling increased attention not only to undocumented people but also to lawful permanent residents with past convictions.
Immigrant rights groups warn that the net is now sweeping in people with older or minor records who believed their issues were long behind them. Critics of the current approach argue that proportionality matters: a decades-old or minor theft case should be weighed against:
- family ties
- work history
- community service
They worry that automatic detention undercuts trust, discourages lawful residents from applying for citizenship, and leaves U.S. citizen children and spouses without emotional and economic support.
Supporters of strong enforcement counter that the law is clear and that criminal records must be considered in citizenship decisions to protect the public and maintain the integrity of naturalization.
Detention conditions, numbers, and concerns
Detention conditions are a growing source of alarm across the country.
- National ICE custody: number of people in ICE custody surpassed 60,000 in August 2025.
- Facility capacity: more than a third of detained persons were held in overcapacity facilities.
- Reported issues: worsening access to hygiene, food, and medical care; families struggling to track loved ones across distant jails.
Advocacy and civil rights groups say these conditions raise basic humanitarian and public health questions that extend beyond any single case.
Legal perspective and practical advice
Legal scholars and defense attorneys stress that old shoplifting or theft cases, even when resolved long ago, can still trigger immigration consequences depending on state statutes and sentencing details. They recommend that long-term residents:
- obtain case files and court dispositions
- get legal advice before any in-person naturalization appointment
- be aware that the process is not complete until the oath is taken and a Certificate of Naturalization is issued
VisaVerge.com reports that increased arrests of green card holders during the naturalization phase have caused confusion and fear. Community groups across Los Angeles are holding “know your rights” sessions to clarify the remaining steps.
Practical steps for families facing similar situations
- Secure an experienced immigration attorney focused on removal defense and humanitarian parole.
- Gather proof of legal status, certified court records for any convictions, medical histories, and letters showing community ties.
- Ask elected officials to inquire with immigration agencies, highlighting health needs and due process concerns.
- Request bond or parole when health or humanitarian factors are present, and prepare supporting evidence early.
- Mobilize local support through petitions and media to keep attention on the case.
- Monitor conditions in custody and file complaints with oversight offices if care falls short.
Families seeking updates can use the official ICE Detainee Locator System, which provides real-time custody information nationwide. The tool is available on the agency’s website and can help relatives verify where a loved one is held and how to contact the facility.
Readers can access the ICE Detainee Locator System for official status checks.
Alternatives to detention and advocacy positions
Organizations tracking detention conditions call for:
- fewer transfers
- more use of alternatives to detention for people with medical vulnerabilities and deep community roots
Suggested alternatives include supervised release, check-ins, and ankle monitoring for those who pose low flight risk and no public-safety threat. Advocates argue these options better balance immigration enforcement with humanitarian and public-health concerns.
ICE maintains that officers follow law and agency guidance, and decisions are made case by case.
Local impact and human story
Moghadam’s detention has rattled small businesses and families in the Valley. Elegant Balloons is a neighborhood fixture where birthdays and graduations are marked with deliveries and storefront displays. Customers have stopped by to sign petitions and share messages, saying the detention feels personal because the couple has supported local events for years.
For Aghdassi, every signature represents a neighbor who believes a lawful resident nearing citizenship deserves a chance to resolve an old record without long-distance detention. Employees are juggling orders while Aghdassi makes calls to lawyers, lawmakers, and customers asking for help.
Her case captures a moment when immigration policy and daily life meet at the storefront level. It shows how a step toward citizenship—what should have been a simple naturalization ceremony—can turn into a crisis and raises the question:
How should the system treat lawful residents who made mistakes years ago but have since put down roots, built businesses, and cared for neighbors?
For Studio City families, that question is no longer abstract; it is the story unfolding on Ventura Boulevard.
This Article in a Nutshell
Sharareh Moghadam, a 55-year-old Iranian lawful permanent resident who passed her U.S. citizenship exam, was detained by ICE in early August 2025 before her scheduled naturalization ceremony and later transferred to a detention facility in Phoenix where she remained as of September 2, 2025. ICE cites two past theft convictions to justify detention; supporters emphasize her longstanding community ties, family business ownership, and medical vulnerabilities, including diabetes and an adverse reaction to insulin. Her husband, Hooshang Aghdassi, has mobilized nearly 100 petition signatures and sought Rep. Brad Sherman’s help, turning their Elegant Balloons shop into an organizing center. The case highlights tensions in the Biden administration’s 2024–2025 enforcement policies, growing ICE custody numbers (over 60,000 in August 2025), overcrowded facilities, and concerns about medical care and proportionality when old or minor convictions surface during naturalization. Legal experts advise securing court records, legal counsel, and medical documentation and pursuing bond, parole, or legislative intervention where appropriate.
