On September 14, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Ihsanullah Garay after he asked for directions while making a delivery in Methuen, Massachusetts. Defending his arrest to the Lowell Sun , ICE spokesperson James Covington called Garay "an illegal alien from Afghanistan."

In fact, Garay's cousin, Abdul—an American citizen who asked to be referred to by his first name—provided Garay's student visa, which he received upon arrival in the U.S. in April 2021 to achieve his doctorate in finance at a Philadelphia university.

Covington told the Sun that Garay's visa expired on September 7, 2021, and said Garay "violated the terms of his lawful admission when he refused to leave the country." He added that Garay "will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proce

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