US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported a Pakistani national after identifying him as a security risk. The individual, Syed Rizvi, 56, was sent back to Pakistan on February 25, according to an official statement.
ICE stated that Rizvi was deemed a national security concern based on intelligence reports and was removed under the Immigration and Nationality Act. He had been living in Dallas, Texas, without legal status before his arrest.
“Individuals with ties to groups that threaten public safety will not be allowed to remain in the US,” said Josh Johnson, acting director of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office in Dallas. “Our priority is to detain and remove those who pose a risk to national security.”
Authorities took Rizvi into custody on January 31 after a routine traffic stop. He had previously entered the US legally through the New York port of entry on September 20, 2017, but later violated the terms of his stay. An immigration judge had ordered his removal on January 24.
The US has been intensifying efforts to deport individuals staying unlawfully, with hundreds already sent back to their countries under stricter immigration policies.