Ukrainian refugee detained after two years in US challenges immigration hold
Jul 19, 2026·Location: Cheyenne, WY
Country of origin: Ukraine
A Ukrainian refugee is a Ukrainian citizen who fled Russia's invasion in early 2024 after his home in Luhansk was destroyed by a Russian missile. He arrived in the United States on February 28, 2024 with DHS travel authorization and was granted parole under the Uniting for Ukraine program. Over more than two years in the US, he obtained employment as a commercial truck driver, paid taxes, developed strong community ties, and committed no criminal offense. On July 19, 2026, local law enforcement in Cheyenne, Wyoming detained him during a routine traffic stop after learning he lacked lawful immigration status, and transferred him to ICE custody without any criminal charge, warrant, prior notice, or individualized assessment of flight risk or dangerousness. DHS initiated removal proceedings on July 21, 2026. He filed a habeas corpus petition challenging the lawfulness of his detention and seeking either immediate release or a prompt bond hearing before an Immigration Judge. On August 7, 2026, the federal district court granted the petition, finding the detention violated both the Immigration and Nationality Act and Fifth Amendment due process rights, and ordered his immediate release by August 9, 2026 on his own recognizance with no additional conditions beyond his original parole.
Sources
More incidents in Wyoming
- Man describes being unlawfully detained by ICE for three months, underfedSep 24, 2026 · Jackson, WY
- Turkish restaurant worker zip-tied by ICE at Wyoming bus stop, contests deportationSep 16, 2026 · Jackson, WY
- Wyoming immigrant activist flees as red states embrace ICE cooperationAug 2, 2026 · Jackson, WY
- Man lured to ICE appointment using Navy daughter's status, then detainedJul 29, 2026 · Gillette, WY
- Six months into Trump 2.0, ICE arrests are up in the TetonsJun 17, 2026 · Jackson, WY
- Wyoming ACLU expands legal challenge to immigration enforcement agreements statewideMay 27, 2026 · Cheyenne, WY