(NEW YORK, N.Y., 12/19/2021) – On Monday, Dec. 20, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the New Haven Legal Assistance Immigrant Rights Clinic, and Pollock Cohen LLP will hold a virtual press conference to announce the settlement of a lawsuit filed against the United States and three Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for assaulting the plaintiff (Bakhodir Madjitov, a native of Uzbekistan) and violating his constitutional rights during an unlawful attempt to deport him in June 2019.
WHAT: Virtual Press Conference to Announce Settlement of Lawsuit Against ICE
WHEN: Monday, December 20, 11 a.m. ET
WHERE: Via ZOOM: Please email ahmedmohamed@cair.com to RSVP for the availability and receive an access link.
WHO: CAIR-NY, New Haven Legal Assistance Immigrant Rights Clinic, Pollock Cohen LLP, and others
CONTACT: Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Legal Director, 646-481-2103, ahmedmohamed@cair.com; Diana Blank, New Haven Legal Assistance Immigrant Rights Clinic; dblank@nhlegal.org, 203-946-4811, ext. 1121; Max Rodriguez max@pollockcohen.com; 646-290-7509
LIVESTREAM: https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNewYork
READ LAWSUIT: Madjitov v. ICE Complaint
BACKGROUND ON CASE:
Madjitov is a native of Uzbekistan and lawfully entered the United States in 2006. He is a Muslim, a husband to a U.S. citizen spouse, and a father to three native-born U.S. citizen sons. During his time in the United States, Madjitov was a respected member of his community who worked hard as a home health aide to care for his elderly and ailing patients, and he had been diligently pursuing the legalization of immigration status for which he is eligible.
Madjitov was arrested by ICE in 2017, one week before the birth of his third child—whom he has never held in his arms. In June 2019, ICE attempted to deport Madjitov despite a court-issued stay of removal, which prohibited ICE from deporting him at that time. During that attempted forcible removal, ICE officials took Madjitov to JFK Airport and tried to force him onto a plane bound for Uzbekistan. When Madjitov refused to board, explaining to the ICE agents that he had a stay of removal, the agents responded by beating and tasing him. The physical assault resulted in Madjitov requiring medical attention in the emergency room of a nearby hospital.
As an ICE detainee, Madjitov was subjected to solitary confinement, manual labor, retaliation, and threats, and contracted COVID-19. On September 17, 2020, Madjitov was moved to an ICE processing center, in an initial step to remove Madjitov to Uzbekistan. On September 18, 2020, he was moved to an ICE staging facility—a final step before removal.
On September 18, 2020, Madjitov’s lawsuit was filed along with a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stay Madjitov’s removal until his lawsuit to vindicate his civil rights and hold ICE accountable is adjudicated. Madjitov’s TRO motion was denied on September 21, 2020. An emergency appeal to the Second Circuit was also denied on the same day. Madjitov was deported shortly thereafter.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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