Amir is a husband, a soon-to-be father, and a beloved community member in Bloomington, Indiana. He works at Indiana University and has been building a peaceful life here with his wife while awaiting a decision on his asylum application. But today, he is locked in an Indiana county jail without charges, explanation, or due process.

Earlier this week, Amir and his mother-in-law were pulled over by individuals identifying themselves as FBI agents. Since then, Amir has been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—even though his asylum case is still pending and he followed all legal steps to enter the U.S. through humanitarian parole. He has not been charged with a crime. His only "offense" appears to be fleeing Taliban persecution and seeking refuge in the U.S. legally.

This cruel detention is part of a disturbing trend. Advocates report that multiple Afghan asylum seekers have recently been detained in Indiana, despite doing everything “by the book.” Amir was previously jailed and interrogated by the Taliban. He came to the U.S. for safety. Now he’s being treated like a criminal simply for seeking that protection.

We, the undersigned, demand justice for Amir and all others unjustly detained while pursuing lawful asylum. We call on:

• ICE’s Indianapolis Field Office to immediately release Amir from detention.
• Indiana Governor Mike Braun to publicly oppose the detention of lawful asylum seekers.
• Senators Todd Young and Jim Banks to push for oversight and transparency on Afghan refugee detentions in Indiana.
• Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson and Indiana University leadership to speak out and support Amir’s release as a member of their community.

Indiana should not be a place where people fleeing persecution are locked away in silence. Amir deserves freedom. His family deserves peace. And all Afghan refugees deserve fair treatment under U.S. law.

Sign now to demand Amir’s release and an end to ICE’s unjust targeting of Afghan asylum seekers.