LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A person described as an Armenian political refugee stays held in an ICE detention facility in Henderson as a choose reportedly declined to launch him on Monday.
Brokers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Vardan Gukasian, 47, on Feb. 20. On Monday, he noticed a federal immigration choose for the third time.
“His and his mother’s life is going to be in danger, so that’s why we want to ask like all American authorities do not detain. Do not deport him,” Gayana Manukyan, a supporter and journalist, mentioned.
Gukasian is from Armenia and his supporters need President Donald Trump to launch him. Gukasian has been contained in the ICE Henderson Detention Facility for nearly a month.
“He’s not a criminal. The two or three years he lives in this country in United States, and he never did anything bad. They can even check his background,” Manukyan mentioned.
She attended his listening to Monday at 100 N Metropolis Parkway in downtown Las Vegas.
Manukyan mentioned his public defender advised supporters issues appear constructive.
“Basically, she stated that like everything it’s going to be like positive, so we hope, and we pray,” Mankuyan mentioned.
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Manukyan visited him Sunday on the Henderson Detention Facility, the place he has been held since Feb. 20. She mentioned he’s upbeat however understands he might face dying if he returns to Armenia.
“We want the judge to do a fair decision and save Vardan and his mother’s life, [by] keeping him in this country,” she mentioned.
In keeping with an ICE Spokesperson, “Gukasian was arrested by ICE officers [on] Feb. 20 and placed into custody for his immigration proceedings. He entered the United States [on] Feb. 19, 2022, and failed to depart under the terms of his admission.”
He reportedly entered the nation in 2022 on a political asylum declare.
In keeping with an Armenian newspaper, a global warrant was issued in 2023 for Gukasian’s arrest and the Armenian authorities petitioned the U.S. to extradite him. Gukasian was reportedly charged with extortion, requires violence, and contempt of court docket.
His supporters held a rally throughout Los Angeles on Saturday earlier than driving to Las Vegas for the federal immigration listening to.
Manukyan mentioned he’s being prosecuted for criticizing the Armenian authorities.
“This is the truth – that Vardan Gukasian is not a criminal,” Manukyan mentioned.
Gukasian’s mom was additionally on the condominium when ICE brokers confirmed up on Feb. 20, however she was not arrested.
When reached by electronic mail, ICE couldn’t present a solution on Gukasian’s subsequent court docket listening to or if he’ll be deported.
The 8 Information Now Investigators requested ICE final week what number of undocumented immigrants the company has arrested in Southern Nevada within the two months since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, however it declined to reply.
