Kashmiri Filmmaker Arafat Sheikh Detained By ICE At US Airport, Campaign Seeks Release

Indian-origin filmmaker Arafat Sheikh has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, with an advocacy campaign calling for his release.

Sheikh, 42, was detained on September 24 shortly after arriving at Dulles, the Free Arafat Sheikh Campaign said. He is a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, and entered the US on a student visa in 2019 to pursue graduate film studies at Georgia State University, according to reports citing the campaign.

The campaign said Sheikh had a pending immigration application and alleged that ICE agents took him into custody even after he presented his immigration documents. It has also claimed that he is authorised to live and work in the US while his case is pending.

According to newer reports, Sheikh filed an asylum application in 2020. He was travelling with award-winning author and filmmaker Tara Dorabji to attend an “Art as Resistance” panel in Washington, DC, when he was detained, the campaign said. These details have been attributed to his supporters and have not been independently confirmed by US immigration authorities in the reports reviewed.

Sheikh is a Kashmiri-born filmmaker, writer and producer whose work focuses on identity, displacement, resilience and human rights. His debut feature film, 'Saffron Kingdom', explores Kashmir and the experiences of families affected by conflict and has received awards at several independent film festivals, according to The New Indian Express.

ICE is responsible for enforcing US federal immigration laws and can detain non-citizens over suspected immigration violations or while their immigration status or applications are being reviewed. The latest reports did not provide details of any specific immigration violation alleged against Sheikh or an official explanation from ICE for his detention.