(ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA) An Altadena mother who fell victim to a green card scam years ago is now in ICE detention after a routine check-in, setting off a race by her family and legal team to secure her release. Masuma Khan, 64, was taken into custody in early October 2025 during her annual appointment with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS. She is being held at the California City Correctional Facility while her attorney seeks a bond hearing that could allow her to return home as her immigration case continues in court.
Khan immigrated from Bangladesh in 1997 on a visa to care for her ill daughter and later overstayed. Years later, she says she was targeted in a green card scam. According to her family and legal filings, a man promised to help her get legal status, created a false identity for her as “Nur Jahan,” filed a fraudulent asylum claim without her informed consent, and intercepted all official letters.
When that asylum case—filed under the scammer’s alias—was denied, he told her to “lay low,” the family says. She learned about the case only much later, when she tried to adjust her status through her U.S. citizen husband and discovered a deportation order she never knew existed.
Detained after a routine check-in
Khan’s detention followed a pattern of annual check-ins USCIS has required since 2020. Her family says she had complied each year and expected the October 2025 visit to be the same. Instead, she was taken into custody—an outcome advocates say has become more common under current enforcement priorities, even for people with long community ties and no criminal record.
Her family calls her detention “unexpected and devastating,” and they’re focused now on securing her release on bond.
Her attorney has filed for a bond hearing, which, if granted, typically occurs within 14 days. Bond would allow Khan to return home while her immigration case—and a pending petition for citizenship—move forward in court. The legal team has also:
- Filed a temporary restraining order
- Pressed for access to medication while she remains in custody
- Sought rapid scheduling of hearings and access to records
Local lawmakers, including Sen. Adam Schiff, have urged fair treatment during this period.
DHS says the government is acting on a final order of removal. Records show an immigration judge issued that order in 1999 against “Nur Zahan,” the alias the scammer used. An immigration judge reaffirmed the order in 2018, and later appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit were denied. DHS maintains that all legal remedies tied to that order have been exhausted.
Legal history, enforcement climate, and delays
Khan’s situation sits at the intersection of old fraud and present-day enforcement. The green card scam left a paper trail that moved through the courts without her knowledge. By the time she tried to fix her status with her U.S. citizen spouse, the removal order was already in place.
For years she continued to live in Altadena and followed official check-in rules. The family argues she never received proper notice of the court dates because the scammer controlled the mail and used a false identity. They emphasize:
- She has no criminal history
- She worked in good faith to regularize her status
- She was defrauded and unaware of proceedings against her
Advocates point to a strict enforcement environment. People with final orders of removal—regardless of how those orders arose—face heightened risk of detention, including during routine check-ins. As of October 2025, there is no broad policy shift easing detention for those with orders linked to fraud or lack of notice. Policy actions tend to center on individual cases and relief through the courts, often with congressional support.
The political backdrop has made oversight harder. Rep. Judy Chu’s office reports that ICE responses to congressional inquiries are “increasingly delayed” due to a recent federal government shutdown, slowing efforts to advocate for constituents like Khan. These delays matter: families rely on timely updates to arrange bond, medication access, and legal filings.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, cases involving identity fraud, missed notices, and outdated removal orders require careful, document-heavy review to untangle. Advocates note that even when the government asserts remedies are exhausted, courts can still consider motions tied to:
- fraud
- improper notice
- changed circumstances
However, these motions are uphill battles and are highly fact-specific.
Immediate stakes and timelines
For Khan’s family, the immediate clock is the bond request. If the immigration judge grants bond, relatives are preparing to post it quickly so she can return home while the case proceeds.
Key dates and timelines:
- Detained: early October 2025
- Bond hearing: typically within 14 days of the request (bond petition filed in late October)
- Annual check-ins: performed since 2020; next would have been in 2026 if not detained
ICE guidance explains that immigration bonds allow release from detention while a person continues with their case; see official agency information such as ICE guidance on immigration bonds. Supporters say freedom would let Khan manage her health, meet court deadlines, and work more effectively with her lawyer.
Community response and broader concerns
Khan’s detention has drawn a sharp response from community groups that warn of the impact of scams on older immigrants with limited English. Their concerns include:
- Scams leaving older immigrants unaware of court proceedings
- Routine check-ins sometimes triggering surprise custody for those with old orders
- Heightened fear among families with mixed immigration status
Advocates argue that people like Khan—caught in a green card scam they did not control—should not face the harshest outcomes when they later try to fix their status through lawful channels.
They also urge caution about quick-fix promises. Common warning signs of scams include:
- Requests to use a different name
- Being asked to sign blank forms
- Instructions to route all mail through a third party
Such actions can leave immigrants unaware of court dates and at risk of orders entered in absentia under false identities.
Practical steps for others and recommendations
Practical advice circulating through the community:
- Retain experienced immigration counsel as early as possible, especially for fraud or identity issues.
- Contact congressional offices for assistance, while noting response times may lag during shutdowns.
- Use community legal aid groups to assist with:
- Record gathering
- Translation
- Support for detention logistics, including bond
Advocates stress documenting communications and keeping copies of all forms and mail to help counteract fraud-based claims.
Important: If you or a loved one suspect they have been targeted by identity or green card fraud, consult an immigration attorney immediately and preserve any documentation or correspondence.
What’s next for Khan
For now, Khan’s future hinges on the bond hearing timeline and the court’s view of her circumstances.
- If bond is granted: she could return home while her immigration case and her petition for citizenship continue.
- If bond is denied: she will remain in ICE detention at California City while her attorney pursues other legal avenues.
Her supporters plan to keep pushing—through the courts, through Congress, and through public advocacy—until she gets the chance to continue her case outside of detention.
This Article in a Nutshell
Masuma Khan, a 64-year-old Altadena resident, was detained by ICE in early October 2025 during an annual USCIS check-in. Decades earlier, a green card scam allegedly created a false identity—“Nur Jahan”—and led to a fraudulent asylum filing and a final removal order in 1999, which Khan says she never knew about because the scammer intercepted her mail. She is held at California City Correctional Facility while her attorney seeks a bond hearing, filed a temporary restraining order, and requested access to medication. Supporters including Sen. Adam Schiff have urged fair treatment. The case highlights enforcement practices that can detain long-standing community members, delays from administrative slowdowns, and the legal complexity of undoing fraud-linked removal orders.
