Humans of ICE

Written by Christina Zawerucha. Edited by Mehdi Esmaili-Goloo and Alycia Calvert

May has been a month of miracles.  On Tuesday, May 5th, we all sat in the WebX immigration court room, anxiously waiting for the judge’s decision.  As volunteers with Humans of ICE, a Community Storytelling and Advocacy Project for Immigrants in Detention, we’ve sat through several hearings since the escalation in Immigration detentions since December 2025.  We were all trying to be realistic.  So many other ICE detainees with no criminal records, who were legally present in the US, had been denied bond before, often on the grounds  that they posed a “flight risk.”  In fact, less than 3% of people detained by ICE are ever released under the current administration. 

A whole team had come together to support Mehdi Esmaili-Goloo, an Iranian Christian, father, and public servant who had entered the US seeking asylum in October 2024.  Kalieb and Travis were the first two people to visit Mehdi in January 2026. At the time, all they had was a list of names we had gotten via Freedom of Information Act Request that were federal detainees not listed on the Broome County Sheriff’s app that we suspected could be ICE detainees.  During these first visits, we had no idea what language the detained people spoke, what country they came from, our what level of English they had.  Not allowed paper or pencil into the jail visitation room, Kaieb and Travis instead had to rely as faithfully as possible on recounting the harrowing details of Mehdi’s escape.  Mehdi was a local police officer who needed to flee for his life after refusing to fire on protestors after the killing of Mahsa Amini, a woman imprisoned for not wearing hijab.  Since then, photographer Nancy Bassman and visual artist Nina Hyatt have worked to help contextualize his story on humansofice.org.  You can find Mehdi’s original narrative here.

Daniel Calkins and Bryan Gilbert of the Volunteer Lawyers Project recommended that Mehdi reach out to us months ago about finding a sponsor.  While Gilbert felt he has a strong case for asylum,Calkins said that unless Mehdi could find a sponsor and a place to live, he would be held in ICE detention indefinitely.  Mehdi knew absolutely no one in the US- except for the Humans of ICE volunteers who had been visiting him in the jail.   Calkins suggested that Humans of ICE  reach out to our network. Thankfully Sister Brigid O’Mahoney and the Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus were willing to sponsor Mehdi and offer him a room at their convent.

To be released on bond, Gilbert had to demonstrate that Mehdi had community ties and did not pose a flight risk or danger to society.  Humans of ICE encouraged all of the people who had visited Mehdi or had illustrated/edited his story to attend the WebX.  The judge noted the presence of so many people who could attest to Mehdi’s character as well as demonstrate his strong connections to the local community. He said, “I see those names here and those people here, vouching for your character.”  Sister Brigid spoke about specific scriptures she and Mehdi had discussed, how he had felt like Joseph of the old testament in the jail, and that his faith had set him free.

Most of us are not religious people.  Christians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarians and atheists are all involved with supporting Humans of ICE. But every single one of us was praying that day, and you could feel the energy in that WebX courtroom.  Hope transcends religion, and we were all holding on to what Father Tim at St Francis of Assisi calls “stubborn hope”

After a few minutes in private, the judge came out with his verdict that Mehdi would be released on a $1500 bond.  We were all in joyous disbelief and in tears!

When I spoke to Mehdi afterwards, he said, “I didn’t know what was gonna happen because I have seen many people go to the bond hearing and the judge denied the bond. Even last Thursday before my bond, when I had a visit with Sister Bridge and Father Tim, I told them that even if the judge denies my bond, I trust in God and his decision.  But I had no hope.  Even though I hurt no one in my country and no one here, I spent the last almost 2 years in jail in the USA.”

We didn’t expect Mehdi to be  released for several weeks, and most ICE detainees sent to Batavia ICE facility near Buffalo for processing.  Sarai and I were busy getting henna done for her wedding at the jail the next day (Read more about Shaun and Sarai’s wedding in ICE detention and narrative here), when we got a call from Shaun on GTL- Mehdi had been released!

On Friday  morning, I couldn’t believe my eyes when we arrived at the jail on Friday for Shaun and Sarai’s wedding ceremony and met  a dapper suited Mehdi.  Goodbye orange prison uniform! Towering at 6’5”, he was LOT taller than he had seemed over the plexiglass during jail visits. He had earned the nickname “Smiley” in jail- mostly because people were mispronouncing his last name “Esmaili” as “Smiley”- but also because of his quiet determination to stay positive, consistently smiling throughout his 21 months of detention..  

Mehdi wasn’t allowed inside the jail for the ceremony, but during the reception at a volunteer’s home afterwards he served as Shaun’s best man. We screencast the GettingOut Global Telmate from Sarai’s phone onto the TV screen, so Shaun and Yilmaz and Maikon could see all of the people who had gathered to support Shaun and Mehdi.  Mehdi held up a Black Cherry White Claw, toasting to Shaun and Sarai with his first alcoholic drink as a free man in the US.

While the focus was deservedly on the bride and groom, many old friends came to support Mehdi. Nina Hyatt, who had designed the incredible illustration for Mehdi’s narrative for Humans of ICE, showed him the illustration and explained all of the meaning and symbolism in her artwork.     

“Here is a picture of you, or what I thought you might look like, based on your narrative. The man has broken the chain of oppression and holds up the scales of justice. Standing on moral ground by refusing to use a machine gun, effectively rendering it useless and broken. A damascene rose is in his left hand, an ancient national symbol of Persia, the national flower of Iran. Above him flies the mythical simurgh: the benevolent Persian pheonix, a symbol of redemption, healing and divine guidance.

He is being leapt over by a young woman who is burning her hijab. The fire she is leaping over is for Chaharsanbeh Suri, an ancient fire festival of purification and renewal that dates back to the Zoroastrians, and is a harbinger of good things to come in the new year, Nowruz. The young woman is also bearing the torch and crown of Lady Liberty, the American symbol of liberation that welcomes and embraces newcomers to the United States. The idea is that he is humbly supporting the liberation of this and all Iranian women.”

During a quiet moment, I saw Kalieb give Mehdi a cross off of his own neck.   “I know you couldn’t wear one inside.  I know how important your faith is to you.”  New friends were made, too.  Cole Wager, who had studied Farsi while in the Army National Guard, was practicing with Mehdi, and offering to show him around Binghamton whenever he wanted.

Mehdi spent 21 months in ICE detention.  These past few weeks have been his first experiences in the US that were not inside a jail.  While he waits to receive work authorization, he has been taking long walks around his neighborhood on the Southside of Binghamton, and has thrown himself into volunteer work, aiding local churches in repair and clean-out projects as well as helping neighbors in need with their car repairs.

He has acquired a bicycle and has enjoyed exploring our city.  He attends mass at St Francis of Assisi church and has decided that he prefers Starbucks to McDonald’s.

On Saturday, a few friends took Mehdi out to Binghamton Rising, a local free concert.  When we were dancing to Kid Bess and the Magic Ring, he told me in quiet amazement that Bess Greenberg was the first woman he had ever seen sing solo in public.  Women are forbidden from singing solo in public in Iran.  Then he got to see Claire Burns singing and playing fiddle with Driftwood.  Needless to say, Mehdi is learning what the best of Binghamton is all about.  

We are so glad that Mehdi gets to be fully human.  That he is no longer a faceless person in the jail- he is a member of our community, and Binghamton is a better place for having him here.

“Freedom is very good. I enjoy this freedom.  Thanks to God for giving me my freedom, hopefully forever.” 

Have you or your family been impacted by ICE?  Would you like to write your story?  Certified English as a New Language teachers will work with you to write and publish your story.  Email humansofice@proton.me or call/text (607) 252-6760‬. ¿Usted o su familia se han visto afectados por ICE? ¿Le gustaría escribir su historia? Profesores certificados de inglés como segundo idioma trabajarán con usted para escribir y publicar su relato. Envíe un correo electrónico a humansofice@proton.me o llame/envíe un mensaje de texto al (607) 252-6760. کیا آپ یا آپ کا خاندان ICE سے متاثر ہوا ہے؟ کیا آپ اپنی کہانی لکھنا پسند کریں گے؟ سند یافتہ انگریزی بطور دوسری زبان کے اساتذہ آپ کی کہانی لکھنے اور شائع کرنے کے لیے آپ کے ساتھ کام کریں گے۔ humansofice@proton.me یا کال/ٹیکسٹ 6072526760 پر ای میل کریں۔ Èske ou menm oswa fanmi ou te afekte pa ICE a? Èske ou ta renmen ekri istwa pa w la? Pwofesè angle kòm dezyèm lang ki sètifye yo ap travay avèk ou pou ekri epi pibliye istwa pa w la. Voye yon imèl bay humansofice@proton.me oswa rele/voye yon mesaj tèks nan (607) 252-6760. هل تأثرت أنت أو عائلتك بسياسات إدارة الهجرة والجمارك الأمريكية (ICE)؟ هل ترغب في مشاركة قصتك؟ سيساعدك مدرسو اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة ثانية المعتمدون في كتابة قصتك ونشرها. تواصل معنا عبر البريد الإلكتروني humansofice@proton.me أو اتصل/أرسل رسالة نصية على الرقم  6072526760.