A U.S. court has ordered the release of Sayed Naser, a former Afghan employee of American forces, from an immigration detention facility.
AfghanEvac wrote on X on Saturday, September 27, that Naser was freed after 106 days in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Shawn VanDiver, chairman of the board of AfghanEvac, said in a statement that the court’s ruling proves Naser’s detention had been unlawful.
According to VanDiver, Judge Korell found that “expedited removal proceedings” had been initiated against Naser while his primary case was still pending, and that the U.S. government had revoked his “temporary humanitarian parole” without notice or explanation.
VanDiver said the United States must uphold its promises to Afghan allies, stressing: “This release is not only a victory for Sayed Naser, but a message of hope for all Afghans who supported the United States and are still waiting for safety.”
Naser had worked for more than a decade in Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif as a translator and logistics contractor with U.S. forces.
In 2023, after his brother was killed by the Taliban, he was forced to flee.
He initially lived in hiding, later received a humanitarian visa from Brazil, and after a difficult journey through Central America, legally entered the United States in July 2024.
However, on June 12, 2025, immigration officers arrested him in a courthouse hallway and transferred him to prison overnight.
