A federal judge in the United States has mandated the release of an Iranian migrant and champion bodybuilder who was held in immigration custody for nearly half a year, citing a lack of progress on his deportation.
Detention Without Due Process
Hamid Ziaei was taken into custody in June 2025 during a routine check-in appointment with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California. His legal team argued successfully in a federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that his prolonged detention violated constitutional due process protections.
Attorneys from the Innovation Law Lab stated that Ziaei was detained without any clear advancement towards his removal to a safe third country. "The government provided no evidence that there was any likelihood of Mr. Ziaei’s removal in the reasonable, foreseeable future," said staff attorney Rachel Landry.
A Flight from Persecution
Court documents reveal that Ziaei fled Iran after speaking out against its government, arriving in San Diego in January 2024 to seek asylum. Although his asylum request was denied, he was granted a provisional release in mid-2024 with work authorisation, based on fears he would face persecution if sent back to Iran.
This lesser-known form of release allows authorities to pursue removal to a safer, alternative country. Prior to his detention, Ziaei built a life in Irvine, California, working in elderly care, food delivery, and as a personal trainer.
Health Deterioration and Legal Precedent
In a signed statement dated 2 December 2025, Ziaei described the severe impact of his incarceration at the Torrance County Detention Facility. He suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, had necessary dental work for three infections deferred, and experienced significant weight and muscle loss. "This will make it hard to earn my livelihood as an athlete in the future," he wrote.
Immigration authorities, represented by the US attorney's office in New Mexico, declined to comment. In filings, they cited a 2001 Supreme Court ruling, often used to justify detentions longer than six months while removal arrangements are made. An ICE official stated the agency began vetting Ziaei for removal to a third country in August 2025.
However, US District Court Judge Matthew Garcia sided with Ziaei's petition, one of thousands of habeas corpus cases filed recently. Judge Garcia stated he would issue a formal release order within 24 hours, as confirmed by attorneys Landry and Tiffany Wang.
