Human Rights First and Faith Leaders Urge Afghan ICE Detainee Release

(MASSACHUSETTS) Human Rights First, faith leaders, and community members are calling for the immediate release of Ihsanullah Garay, an Afghan asylum seeker in ICE detention, as of October 22, 2025. Garay was arrested on September 14, 2025, despite having a valid work permit and a pending asylum claim. He is battling brain cancer and, according to advocates, could face deportation if not released, raising urgent concerns over his health and access to care while in custody.

Garay’s arrest in Methuen, Massachusetts, followed a routine moment that spiraled into detention. He reportedly asked for directions before being taken into custody. According to advocates, he had remained in the United States after his student visa expired in September 2021 because the Taliban takeover made it unsafe and impractical to return to Afghanistan. Supporters argue that, given his medical condition and pending case, detention is unnecessary and harmful.

Case background and transfers

Since his arrest, Garay has been moved between ICE detention facilities in Rhode Island, Florida, and Georgia, with the quality and continuity of his medical care a central concern for his family and legal team.

Each transfer has added stress and complicated his case, making it harder to maintain stable treatment for brain cancer and to coordinate legal representation across state lines. A bond hearing initially set for October 16 in Massachusetts was canceled after his transfer to Georgia. His attorney must now seek a new hearing in Georgia, where advocates say the legal environment for detained immigrants is more challenging.

Moves like this can disrupt attorney-client communication and delay court dates, compounding the strain for someone who is seriously ill and far from his support network. Human Rights First has urged immigration officials to use discretion and release Garay while his asylum claim is pending. The group and local faith leaders argue that his health needs cannot be met in detention and that returning him to Afghanistan would place him at risk.

“Detention practices can severely affect people with serious medical conditions,” advocates warn, noting that transfers and canceled hearings have real consequences for treatment continuity and case progress.

Advocacy push and policy context

Community members, clergy, and civil society groups in Massachusetts and beyond are rallying around Garay’s case, describing it as an example of how detention transfers and canceled hearings can derail fragile progress for people seeking protection.

Human Rights First is highlighting broader risks to Afghans who could be deported back to a country where conditions remain volatile. They continue to press for humane use of prosecutorial discretion in cases involving life-threatening illnesses.

Advocates say Garay’s case comes amid reports of increased efforts, beginning in May 2025, to detain immigrants at or around immigration court hearings. While these enforcement actions fall within the government’s authority, supporters argue they can:

• Deter attendance at future hearings
• Create confusion for people with pending cases
• Particularly harm those with medical needs that require stable care and predictable schedules

Policy groups have also renewed calls for long-term solutions for displaced Afghans. They point to proposals like the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would provide a firmer path to legal status for at-risk Afghans in the United States. Human Rights First, through initiatives such as Project: Afghan Legal Assistance (PALA), continues to help Afghans find legal support, connect with community services, and move their cases forward in immigration court.

Key facts (at-a-glance)

• Status: Afghan asylum seeker with a pending case and a valid work permit at time of arrest
• Medical condition: Fighting brain cancer
• Detention transfers: Moved among facilities in Rhode Island, Florida, and Georgia
• Hearing impact: October 16 Massachusetts bond hearing canceled after transfer to Georgia; new hearing must be sought in Georgia
• Supporters: Faith leaders, Human Rights First, and community members urging release and warning of medical risks in detention
• Risks cited: Possible deportation to Afghanistan and disruption of medical care caused by transfers and canceled hearings

Legal and humanitarian arguments

For supporters, the central issue is whether continued ICE detention is necessary for a person with a life-threatening illness and a pending claim.

They request release under supervision so Garay can:

• Receive consistent medical care
• Work with his lawyer without interstate transfers
• Remain within reach of family and community supports

Advocates stress that asylum law allows people to apply for protection when they fear harm in their home country, and that health needs should factor into custody decisions.

Legal pressure points

Key legal and logistical concerns in this case include:

1. Venue — Moving the case from Massachusetts to Georgia complicates scheduling and logistics.
2. Timing — A canceled hearing can add weeks or months of delay as defense teams refile motions, request records, and coordinate new dates.
3. Medical access — Repeated transfers interrupt treatment continuity and the ability to obtain timely medical records.

For someone undergoing treatment for brain cancer, those delays can have real health consequences.

Advocacy strategies and precedent

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, cases like Garay’s often highlight:

• The impact of transfers on access to counsel
• The strain on families
• Difficulty of maintaining medical continuity inside detention systems

Typical advocacy campaigns in these situations focus on:

• Humanitarian release under supervision as an alternative to detention
• Emphasizing community-based supports (housing, transport to appointments, caregiving)
• Documenting medical evidence to present to immigration authorities and judges

Groups involved emphasize they are not seeking special treatment, but rather the use of existing discretion to release a person with serious medical needs and a pending case. They also point to the broader pattern of Afghans who lawfully remained in the United States when conditions in Afghanistan deteriorated, then pursued asylum as the situation became too dangerous.

What advocates want officials to consider

Human Rights First is urging officials to weigh:

• Medical evidence documenting Garay’s condition and treatment needs
• Procedural history, including the canceled hearing and repeated transfers
• Availability of community supervision and local medical care in Massachusetts

They argue that compassionate release is consistent with humanitarian principles and the fair processing of asylum claims. Supporters say that community backing in Massachusetts and access to local medical care create a safe and stable alternative to detention.

Officials have not publicly detailed the reasons for Garay’s transfers or the cancellations beyond confirming standard procedures. For general information about detention operations, the government’s official ICE page provides resources and contact points for families and attorneys seeking case updates or facility details. Readers can find those resources through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Guidance for families and supporters

As this case develops, advocates advise families and supporters to:

• Document medical needs thoroughly (diagnoses, treatment plans, appointment records)
• Maintain regular contact with legal counsel and confirm representation after any transfer
• Track hearing dates closely, especially after transfers or jurisdiction changes
• Monitor official announcements from ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as updates from Human Rights First and local community groups

Faith leaders describe their involvement as a moral response to a neighbor in danger. Community members say they are ready to support Garay with housing, transportation to medical appointments, and help with daily needs if he’s released.

For many supporters, the stakes are straightforward: a person seeking protection, fighting brain cancer, and asking for a chance to heal while his case proceeds.