A federal judge Tuesday ordered the immediate release of an Iranian man who has been in immigration detention since ICE officers took him into custody in June while he was on his way to a gym from his Yamhill County home.

U.S District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai’s ruling came after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said the man “could be a candidate” for deportation via a charter flight to Iran this month but that they were still waiting to line up his travel documents.

Kasubhai found that the deportation isn’t likely to occur in the foreseeable future and ruled that S.F., as the man is identified in court records, should be released to check in with immigration enforcement officers as he has done for nearly two decades.

“Petitioner has strong ties to his community in

See Full Page