We know Iranian nationals are now in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody as tensions between the United States and Iran escalate.
We also know some arrests happened in Louisiana.
WDSU reporter Shay O’Connor was live, explaining how local advocates were responding and what they were saying about a New Orleans woman who was recently detained.
We still do not know if the people detained in Louisiana are included in the 11 people said to have been arrested across the U.S., according to ICE, over the weekend.
The arrests have been causing a lot of conversation from all sides.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced it had arrested at least 11 Iranian nationals living illegally in the U.S. over the weekend.
As a part of its “commitment to keeping known and suspected terrorists out of American communities,” according to its website.
ICE released pictures of some of the arrests from Atlanta to Arizona to Mississippi.
On Wednesday, WDSU also found out that at least two Iranian-born students from Louisiana State University were also detained, along with a 64-year-old Iranian mother and wife. Neighbors said Mandonna Kashanian had lived in the U.S. for decades, but was arrested in front of her home as she was in the neighborhood with kids.
Rachel Taber, a volunteer activist with Union Migrante, said, “They say, ‘Do things the right way.’ She had literally gone to ICE check-ins for years and got scooped up in this ICE dragnet that’s literally been attacking people nationwide.”
This comes as tensions have risen between the United States and Iran. Nora Ahmed with the American Civil Liberties Union said the round-up is directly related to what is happening outside our state.
“This is premised on what is happening on a national stage in trying to garner support for whatever actions the administration has been taking,” said Ahmed.
According to a release by Homeland Security, those arrested include someone with admitted ties to a known or suspected terrorist, along with an alleged former sniper for the Iranian Army.
Ahmed said, “We always have to be afraid when the government comes forward and says there’s alleged crimes against an individual. We can’t just believe that. Everyone deserves due process. It’s what’s owed and what’s due.”
WDSU also reached out to the governor’s office and the mayor’s office for comment. ICE has also not gotten back to WDSU regarding our requests.
We are working to find out more information.
READ MORE:ICE says it arrested 11 Iranians in the US illegally; 2 LSU students and 64-year-old also detained
