Hagop C.: Surfer who could not be deported held 4 months by ICE
Hagop Chirinian, a surfer held four months after accidentally trespassing on a beach, was freed when a judge ruled ICE wrongly detained him since Lebanon refused to accept him.
Jan 28, 2026San Diego, CACountry of origin: Lebanon
Hagop Chirinian, a non-citizen surfer, was released after being detained for four months following an accidental trespass onto Camp Pendleton beach. A federal judge ordered ICE to release him, ruling the agency violated its own protocols by detaining him despite knowing he could not be deported, as Lebanon refused to accept him. Chirinian had been living under an order of supervision with a work permit for nearly 30 years without additional convictions.
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Sources
- Surfer released after 4 months in immigration detention
KPBS·Jan 28, 2026·archived copy
- Why a Surfer Spent 4 Months in ICE Detention for Wandering Onto the Wrong Beach
The Inertia·Mar 10, 2026·archived copy
- Miami Herald
- ICE arrested a surfer after he accidentally ended up on a Camp Pendleton beach
KPBS·Dec 29, 2025·archived copy
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