Afghan high school senior detained by ICE on expired parole error, released on bond after two weeks
Apr 24, 2026·Location: Cheshire, CT
Country of origin: Afghanistan

Rihan Shinwari, an 18-year-old Afghan high school senior at Cheshire High School in Connecticut, was detained by ICE on April 6, 2026, during a traffic stop. ICE detained him based on erroneous paperwork claiming his humanitarian parole had expired in October 2025, though court filings confirmed it remained valid until October 2026. His family had legally entered the U.S. on humanitarian parole in October 2024 after his father served as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Held at Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts for over two weeks, an immigration court judge set his bond at $1,500 and ordered his release on April 21, 2026. Rihan was released on April 22, 2026, and remains in removal proceedings; his attorneys sought reinstatement of his humanitarian parole.
Timeline
Sources
- Afghan high school senior is detained by ICE as he prepared to graduate
NBC News·Apr 15, 2026·archived copy
- ICE arrested Cheshire student while trying to rearrest his father, court records show
thehour.com·Apr 15, 2026·archived copy
nhregister.com·Apr 15, 2026·archived copy
ctpost.com·Apr 15, 2026·archived copy
- Cheshire High student held by ICE on paperwork error, federal judge says
ctinsider.com·Apr 12, 2026·archived copy
nhregister.com·Apr 12, 2026·archived copy
- ICE arrest of Cheshire High School student sparks outrage: 'Un-American'
middletownpress.com·Apr 10, 2026·archived copy
thehour.com·Apr 10, 2026·archived copy
- Cheshire High School Student Detained By ICE: Officials
patch.com·Apr 10, 2026·archived copy
- Lawmakers discuss Cheshire High School student detained by ICE
WFSB·Apr 9, 2026·archived copy
- Judge approves bond for Cheshire teenager detained by ICE
longisland.news12.com·archived copy
westchester.news12.com·archived copy
- Cheshire High student released after two weeks in ICE custody
stamfordadvocate.com·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
newstimes.com·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- CT officials call for release of Cheshire teen detained by ICE
ctpublic.org·Apr 10, 2026·archived copy
- Governor Lamont Statement on Release of Cheshire High School Student From ICE Detention
- Conn. student returns home from ICE detention in Mass. after being granted bond
- Cheshire High School student detained by ICE set to return home, officials say — Spot On Connecticut
- Cheshire High School student welcomed home after ICE detainment
nhregister.com·Apr 24, 2026·archived copy
- How a father and son living in Connecticut wound up arrested by ICE
nhregister.com·Apr 19, 2026·archived copy
- Judge orders bond hearing for CT teen detained by ICE
- CourtListener
- Immigration judge grants bond to Cheshire High student held by ICE
stamfordadvocate.com·Apr 20, 2026·archived copy
- CT student detained by ICE reflects on detention and his hopes for the future
- Judge: Arrest of CT teenager by ICE was based on erroneous information.
- ICE arrests continued during graduation season, and some students have nearly missed their big event
Boston Globe·Jun 24, 2026·archived copy
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