Humans of ICE

Interview collected by Kalieb & Travis 1/19/26

Em, an Iranian national, was detained upon his arrival in the United States in September 2024 after fleeing persecution in his homeland. As an Information Technology specialist who worked for the Iranian police, Em found himself in the crossroads of the 2022-2023 protests that erupted following death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.

Em was assigned to crowd control during these demonstrations. He received orders to physically harm protesters, but he refused. Due to this refusal, Em was court martialed and faced criminal charges. Em feared for his life, so he made the difficult decision to flee Iran, leaving behind his wife, 11-year-old son, and the rest of his family.

The danger that Em faces extends beyond his refusal to harm innocent people. As Protestant Christians, Em and his family are at greater risk of reprisal and persecution. 

Despite seeking asylum in the United States, Em was immediately detained by immigration officers upon arrival. His asylum application was denied, though he is currently appealing this decision, with a ruling expected in March 2026. Should this appeal fail, he would have one final opportunity to appeal before facing deportation. 

During his 16 months in custody, Em has remained resilient, teaching himself how to speak English. He holds onto hope that he will be granted asylum, allowing him to begin a new life in the United States and eventually being reunited with his family.

The narrative is true but the image was generated by AI. We actually would like to hire artists of immigrant and BIPOC backgrounds do generate illustrations for these stories. Read our Call for Artists to learn more.