Reza’s 267-day detention ended this week, and his church marked the exact count. Pastor Ara Torosian of Cornerstone West Los Angeles shared the news with relief. Torosian said the congregation felt joy, but worries lingered. The church celebrated Reza’s release, and it also urged attention to detained Iranian Christians.
Viral Los Angeles arrest separated an asylum-seeking couple
Border Patrol agents detained Reza and his wife, Marjan, on a Los Angeles sidewalk in June last year. Torosian recorded the arrest, and the video spread widely online. Marjan suffered a panic attack and convulsed during the encounter, so the moment drew intense concern. The couple had attended the Farsi-speaking church for about a year before the arrest.
Split legal outcomes deepened uncertainty for Reza
Officials held Reza in New Mexico while Marjan remained in detention for 120 days. Marjan later gained asylum, but different judges handled their cases. Advocates said the couple followed asylum procedures, and they questioned prolonged custody. Before 2025, detention during pending asylum cases was unusual.
Claims of danger in Iran fueled advocacy and church alarm
Christian groups raised an outcry because Iranian Christian converts from Islam face severe punishment in Iran. Torosian said the government lawyer did not seem to grasp those risks. He also cited a recent search of Reza’s parents’ home for Christian material. Authorities found nothing because the parents are not Christians, but Torosian said the search still showed danger for Reza.
Celebration follows release, but supporters and detractors clash
A judge granted Reza “CAT withholding” in November, so officials recognized torture risk but did not grant asylum. His lawyers filed a federal habeas petition, and it helped secure his release. The church sent money for a flight from El Paso to Los Angeles and planned an Iranian meal together. Torosian paused preaching to lead prayer, and the church prepared worship for Reza’s release and Nowruz, the Iranian new year. Supporters say Reza’s 267-day detention proves the system overuses custody and misunderstands Iranian Christian danger. Detractors argue that tight screening is necessary because DHS warns about Iranian “sleeper cells” as the US wages war with Iran.
Source:
Iranian Christian Freed Nine Months After Border Patrol Arrest
Photo by Henning Witzel on Unsplash
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