Aditya Wahyu Harsono’s Detention: A Deep Dive into the Case
An Indonesian man, Aditya wahyu Harsono, remains in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after his visa was revoked. Judge Sarah Mazzie denied a motion to dismiss his case on Saturday, setting the stage for further legal proceedings [[2]].
The Arrest and Initial Hearing
Harsono, a 33-year-old supply chain manager at a Minnesota hospital and father of an infant with special needs, was arrested march 27. His attorney, Sarah Gad, stated that the arrest occurred four days after his visa was revoked without prior notification. He is scheduled for another hearing May 1.
His wife has been in a state of shock and exhaustion. The Department of Homeland Security has weaponised the immigration system to serve just an entirely diffrent purpose, which is to instil fear.
Sarah Gad, Harsono’s lawyer
Details of the Arrest
According to Gad, harsono’s wife, Peyton, received a call from the hospital’s human resources department, informing her that ICE agents, in plain clothes, requested a staged meeting in the basement to apprehend him. The hospital staff, reportedly distraught, complied with the request.
He unsuspectedly walks in, smiling, and then they just pull out their handcuffs and forcibly detain him, pushing against the wall, start frisking him and stripping all of his belongings.
Sarah Gad, describing the arrest
Harsono was then taken to the Kandiyohi county Jail, where he remains detained.
Visa Revocation and Justification
During interrogation, Harsono stated that his F-1 student visa was valid untill June 2026, and he had a pending green card application based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. Gad confirmed that on March 28, the day after his arrest, his F-1 visa was still active.
The government reportedly backdated the visa revocation to March 23, citing a 2022 misdemeanor conviction for graffitiing a semi-truck trailer. Gad argued that this is not a deportable offense under the Immigration and Nationality Act, noting that Harsono had traveled internationally and returned multiple times as the conviction without issue.
Additional Evidence and Context
The day before Harsono’s bond hearing, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disclosed additional evidence, including a 2021 arrest during a protest over the murder of George Floyd, though that charge was dismissed.
It is indeed also noted that Harsono is a Muslim who has expressed support for Gaza on social media and runs a non-profit that sells art and merchandise to benefit organizations aiding Gaza.
