A recent UB graduate competed in the national finals of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Steel Bridge Competition with his classmates from May 22 to 23.
The day after, he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at the El Paso International Airport just before boarding a flight to New York City, where he lives.
Nadir Hassan, who graduated just weeks ago with a bachelors in environmental design, is currently held in an ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas.
The reasons for Hassan’s detainment are unknown, Emily Ouellette — Hassan’s close friend since their freshman year — told The Spectrum.
“I know his family’s been here for many years. They’re very established and successful people,” Ouellette, who graduated in May with a bachelors in pharmaceutical sciences, said. “I don’t know what happened.”
Ouellette said that she was “very upset every single day at some point” over Hassan’s detention.
“It’s very hard knowing that one of your closest friends is being held essentially prisoner,” Ouellette said. “And you know how good of a person they are and everything.”
Maxwell Benjamin, president of UB’s ASCE chapter, called Hassan a “friend to everyone, a mentor to younger members and an important member of the club for the past four years” in an email to The Spectrum.
Hassan’s family declined comment to The Spectrum. Their GoFundMe page raised over $31,000, which will go towards legal counsel, bond costs and other expenses.
“Nadir is a hardworking, compassionate, and deeply involved member of our community,” the page said. “This sudden detention has placed a tremendous emotional and financial burden on our family.”
Ishrat Sami — Hassan’s attorney — had told The Spectrum on May 29 that she couldn’t say when she would be free to comment, citing a busy schedule. She had not responded to The Spectrum’s calls or emails since then.
Specific information on Hassan’s case could not be disclosed due to federal privacy laws, the university told The Spectrum, but that it provided letters of support to Hassan’s family and personal attorney from his academic department chairs, faculty, ASCE and numerous classmates.
Hassan’s detainment comes two and a half months after Jiaye You, another student, was detained by ICE officers at a routine immigration hearing in NYC. You chose to depart the U.S. for China during a hearing late April, after spending nearly two months in a detention facility in Louisiana.
Hassan’s hearing was scheduled for June 4, Ouellette said.
Neither the university, Hassan’s family or attorney had commented on the results by the time of publication.
Dorothy Similien is the assistant news editor and can be reached at dorothy.similien@ubspectrum.com.
Mylien Lai is the editor-in-chief and can be reached at mylien.lai@ubspectrum.com.
Mylien Lai is the editor-in-chief at The Spectrum. Outside of getting lost in Buffalo, she enjoys practicing the piano and being a bean plant mom. She can be found at @mylien.lai on Instagram.
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
Photo: The Spectrum Archives
