The news agency KLAS writes: A man described as an Armenian political refugee remains held in an ICE detention facility in Henderson as a judge reportedly declined to release him on Monday.
Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Vardan Gukasian, 47, on Feb. 20. On Monday, he saw a federal immigration judge for the third time.
“His and his mother’s life is going to be in danger, so that’s why we want to ask like all American authorities do not detain. Do not deport him,” Gayana Manukyan, a supporter and journalist, said.
Gukasian is from Armenia and his supporters want President Donald Trump to release him. Gukasian has been inside the ICE Henderson Detention Facility for almost a month.
“He’s not a criminal. The two or three years he lives in this country in United States, and he never did anything bad. They can even check his background,” Manukyan said.
She attended his hearing Monday at 100 N City Parkway in downtown Las Vegas.
Manukyan said his public defender told supporters things seem positive.
“Basically, she stated that like everything it’s going to be like positive, so we hope, and we pray,” Mankuyan said.
Manukyan visited him Sunday at the Henderson Detention Facility, where he has been held since Feb. 20. She said he is upbeat but understands he could face death if he returns to Armenia.
“We want the judge to do a fair decision and save Vardan and his mother’s life, [by] keeping him in this country,” she said.
According to an ICE Spokesperson, “Gukasian was arrested by ICE officers [on] Feb. 20 and placed into custody for his immigration proceedings. He entered the United States [on] Feb. 19, 2022, and failed to depart under the terms of his admission.”
He reportedly entered the country in 2022 on a political asylum claim.
According to an Armenian newspaper, an international warrant was issued in 2023 for Gukasian’s arrest and the Armenian government petitioned the U.S. to extradite him. Gukasian was reportedly charged with extortion, calls for violence, and contempt of court.
His supporters held a rally across Los Angeles on Saturday before driving to Las Vegas for the federal immigration hearing.
Manukyan said he is being prosecuted for criticizing the Armenian government.
“This is the truth – that Vardan Gukasian is not a criminal,” Manukyan said.
Gukasian’s mother was also at the apartment when ICE agents showed up on Feb. 20, but she was not arrested.
When reached by email, ICE could not provide an answer on Gukasian’s next court hearing or if he’ll be deported.
The 8 News Now Investigators asked ICE last week how many undocumented immigrants the agency has arrested in Southern Nevada in the two months since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but it declined to answer.
PREVIOUS STORY: Man described as political refugee arrested by ICE in Las Vegas
