A federal immigration judge has granted asylum to a woman orphaned in Iran in the 1970s and adopted by an American war veteran, ending a months-long legal battle over her immigration status. The ruling by Judge Andrew Fishkin comes after immigration officials threatened to deport the woman, now 56, to Iran—a country with which the U.S. is currently at war.
The woman, who has lived in the United States since she was adopted as a toddler, was one of thousands of internationally adopted individuals who were never granted citizenship due to bureaucratic loopholes between adoption and immigration law. She has no criminal record and has worked in healthcare for nearly two decades.
In February, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ordered her to appear for removal proceedings, citing an overstayed visa from March 1974 when she was 4 years old. The woman described the subsequent months as terrifying and humiliating, noting that government documents referred to her as an "alien" and incorrectly stated she did not understand English—her only language. She was released but tracked with an ankle monitor, which she attempted to conceal during work meetings.
The woman, who has been allowed to use the pseudonym "Ms. S" in legal proceedings, prepared for potential detention by setting up autopay for her bills and giving friends access to her home. Her lawyer, Emily Howe, has represented her throughout the case.
The ruling likely concludes a legal battle that highlighted gaps in immigration law for internationally adopted individuals. The administration has the option to appeal the decision.