An Indonesian man named Aditya Wahyu Harsono was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his visa was suddenly revoked without notice allegedly over a past misdemeanor. Harsono, a 33-year-old is a supply chain manager at a hospital in Marshall in Minnesota. He was arrested on March 27 by plainclothes ICE agents in a staged operation at his workplace.
What happened?
As per his attorney, Harsono received no prior warning that his F-1 student visa had been voided. Soon after, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) backdated the revocation to March 23, citing a 2022 misdemeanor graffiti conviction. The charge involved graffiti on a semi-truck trailer, for which he paid $100 in restitution.
On Saturday, Immigration Judge Sarah Mazzie denied a motion to dismiss the case on humanitarian grounds, allowing deportation proceedings to continue. Harsono is scheduled for another hearing on May 1.
Gad criticised the government’s handling of the case, accusing DHS of "weaponising the immigration system" to create fear. She said Harsono's wife, Peyton, an American citizen and mother of their infant child with special needs, has been in "shock and exhaustion" since the arrest.
Hospital staff were reportedly instructed to lure Harsono to a staged meeting in the basement, where he was apprehended without warning. “He unsuspectingly walks in, smiling, and then they just pull out their handcuffs and detain him, pushing him against the wall,” Gad said.
Harsono was transported to Kandiyohi County Jail, where he remains detained. During questioning, he explained that his F-1 visa was valid through June 2026 and that he had a pending green card application through his marriage. Gad noted that as of March 28—one day after the arrest—the visa still appeared active.
In court filings, DHS also cited a 2021 arrest during a protest following the murder of George Floyd. That charge was later dismissed. Gad maintains that neither incident constitutes a deportable offense under immigration law and that Harsono has travelled internationally without issue since the 2022 conviction.
Harsono, a Muslim, is known for his social media posts supporting Gaza and for operating a small nonprofit that donates proceeds from art sales to Palestinian aid organisations.
What happened?
As per his attorney, Harsono received no prior warning that his F-1 student visa had been voided. Soon after, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) backdated the revocation to March 23, citing a 2022 misdemeanor graffiti conviction. The charge involved graffiti on a semi-truck trailer, for which he paid $100 in restitution.
On Saturday, Immigration Judge Sarah Mazzie denied a motion to dismiss the case on humanitarian grounds, allowing deportation proceedings to continue. Harsono is scheduled for another hearing on May 1.
Gad criticised the government’s handling of the case, accusing DHS of "weaponising the immigration system" to create fear. She said Harsono's wife, Peyton, an American citizen and mother of their infant child with special needs, has been in "shock and exhaustion" since the arrest.
Hospital staff were reportedly instructed to lure Harsono to a staged meeting in the basement, where he was apprehended without warning. “He unsuspectingly walks in, smiling, and then they just pull out their handcuffs and detain him, pushing him against the wall,” Gad said.
Harsono was transported to Kandiyohi County Jail, where he remains detained. During questioning, he explained that his F-1 visa was valid through June 2026 and that he had a pending green card application through his marriage. Gad noted that as of March 28—one day after the arrest—the visa still appeared active.
In court filings, DHS also cited a 2021 arrest during a protest following the murder of George Floyd. That charge was later dismissed. Gad maintains that neither incident constitutes a deportable offense under immigration law and that Harsono has travelled internationally without issue since the 2022 conviction.
Harsono, a Muslim, is known for his social media posts supporting Gaza and for operating a small nonprofit that donates proceeds from art sales to Palestinian aid organisations.
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