Laura Rótolo, staff counsel and community advocate at the ACLU of Massachusetts, today released the following statement in response to the Boston Immigration Court’s order that Niberd Abdalla – who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in June – be released from custody on his own recognizance:

"Several months ago, ICE detained a man who has lived in the United States for more than 40 years – and attempted to take him back to Iraq, and away from the family he built in Western Massachusetts. Together with our partners at ACLU of Michigan and cooperating attorneys Buz Eisenberg and Megan Kludt, the ACLU of Massachusetts and its Immigrant Protection Project of Western Massachusetts are pleased that Mr. Abdulla will be released from ICE custody. Now more than ever, the ACLU of Massachusetts remains committed to taking on the Trump administration’s detention and deportation machine.”

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