The Times of San Diego reports that an Afghan national, who says he worked in a dangerous part of Afghanistan with the U.S. military, was detained at the San Diego Immigration Court Thursday after attending a routine hearing.
He was at the courthouse for a master calendar hearing — the first stage of a removal proceeding in immigration court. Not attending a master calendar hearing is grounds for deportation.
The federal government made a motion to dismiss his case, according to his attorney Brian McGoldrick. The motion was not granted by the judge, who instead scheduled a merits hearing — or the main hearing in which the government and respondents present their arguments for or against being deported — for a few months from now.
McGoldrick said that the man at one point had worked with the U.S. Army, providing logistical support and serving as an interpreter. The detainee, during his arrest, said he had done so for three years.
He entered the United States legally and received an appointment through the government-administered app CBP One at a port of entry and was paroled into the country, according to his attorney.
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