NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut imam has been detained by U.S. immigration agents and is facing deportation to Pakistan.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Hafiz Abdul Hannan, the imam of the Masjid Al-Islam mosque in New Haven, was taken into custody at his home on Friday.
Hannan has led the mosque since 2013. Immigrations official said they are enforcing a 2016 deportation order.
Hannan was arrested in 2006 in a nationwide investigation into immigrants who filled out phony applications for religious workers’ visas.
It was not immediately clear whether Hannan is represented by an attorney who can comment on his case.
A statement on the mosque’s website warns community members not to speak to the media about the situation. It says mosque leaders will decide whether to comment when they have more insight.
