Governor Ned Lamont was on hand along with advocates and other state and Cheshire officials during a "welcome home" event for Rihan, a Cheshire High School student recently released after he was detained by ICE Friday April 24, 2026 at Cheshire Town Hall.Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut MediaCHESHIRE — Rihan, the 18-year-old high school student detained by ICE earlier this month and held for more than two weeks at a Massachusetts county jail, has returned home.“Welcome home, Rihan. We’re so proud that you’re back, so proud that you call Cheshire home, so proud that you call Connecticut home,” Gov. Ned Lamont said during an event held inside Cheshire Town Hall Friday afternoon to mark his return.Article continues below this adA senior set to graduate in June, Rihan returned to Connecticut on Tuesday and went back to school Wednesday, where he received a warm reception from classmates, officials said.Rihan stood off to the side during the news conference and did not speak. One of his attorneys said he is still shaken from the ordeal. Attorneys have asked that he and family members not be identified beyond their first name due to safety concerns for family in Afghanistan, where they immigrated from.More NewsAgents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Rihan on April 6 while he was riding in a car with his uncle and younger brother, court records show. He was taken to a correctional facility in Plymouth, Mass., where he was held until being released Tuesday on a $1,500 bond.Article continues below this adNew Haven Register LogoMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.Add Preferred SourceLauren Petersen, one of Rihan’s attorneys, said his "swift" release was unusual for immigration detention and credited several factors, including immediate access to legal counsel, his "wherewithal" not to sign documents after being arrested "despite intense pressure by multiple officers to do so," and support from elected officials, teachers and community members who “hastened to his aid.”Tariq, the uncle of Rihan, a Cheshire High School student recently released after he was detained by ICE and Rihan’s attorney Lauren Peterson, look on as Govoner Ned Lamont speaks during “a welcome home" event for Rihan, Friday April 24, 2026 at Cheshire Town Hall.Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut MediaPetersen said the federal judge who granted Rihan's bond also cited letters from his high school teachers, describing "his ties to the community and the esteem in which is community held him."Article continues below this adSusan Chasen, a Cheshire High School chemistry teacher who wrote a letter on Rihan's behalf, described her former student as hardworking and "always polite and respectful." After arriving in Cheshire in 2024, she said, Rihan "showed so much perseverance as he worked to not only learn the chemistry concepts, but also to improve his use of the English language and to learn the culture of an American high school."Chasen said his ability to overcome "so many challenges" inspired her to step out of her own comfort zone and learn new skills."Rihan is a role model in our community," she said. "He has shown that hard work and kindness can lead to success in the class room and in life."Article continues below this adIn a previous court filing, Rihan’s attorneys said agents were attempting to re-arrest his father, Zia — a former interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan who spent three months in immigration detention last year. When they realized Zia was not present, the officers arrested Rihan instead, according to the filing.Cheshire High School teacher Susan Chasen, smiles as she speaks about Rihan, a Cheshire High School student recently released after he was detained by ICE Friday April 24, 2026, during a “welcome home” event at Cheshire Town Hall.Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut MediaFriday’s event was not only a celebration of Rihan’s safe return home, but also of the effort that went into securing his release.Rihan’s uncle, Tariq, who also served alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said he was “very grateful” for the support his family has received. “Now the family is doing well” since Rihan’s return, he added.Article continues below this adSen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, one of the family's most outspoken advocates, said his joy at Rihan's return was "mixed with dread," warning the family remains a target.“There is absolutely nothing illegal about Rihan or Zia or Tariq being here," Blumenthal said. "In fact, not only did they do everything right, they should be regarded as heroes for protecting our troops in Afghanistan in the wars that we fought there."Rihan’s detention may have been the result of a paperwork error, according to a court filing. He entered the U.S. with his family in October 2024 and was granted a two-year humanitarian parole. But at the time of his arrest, agents "erroneously" claimed his parole had expired in October 2025 and revoked his status, according to the documents.In a statement to CT Insider, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Rihan will receive "due process."Article continues below this ad"Biden-era parole programs let in 190,000 Afghan nationals with a vetting process that was demonstrably inadequate," the department said. "No overseas criminal background checks were performed, social media accounts were not screened, and there was no systematic cross-referencing of information. In many cases, entry was granted on the basis of a single recommendation. Under Secretary Mullin, DHS has been going full throttle on vetting illegal aliens who came in through Biden's fraudulent parole programs and working to get the criminals and public safety threats OUT of our country."At a bond hearing this week, one of Rihan’s attorneys sought to terminate his deportation proceedings and reinstate his humanitarian parole, but the motion was denied. His next appearance in immigration court is scheduled for May 4.Rihan’s attorneys have described him as a straight-A honors student who hopes to become a cardiologist. Officials said he was determined to stay on track academically despite his detention.Before Friday’s event, Lamont spoke briefly with Rihan in the Town Hall lobby. The governor said Rihan described sharing a room with four older detainees and trying to keep up with schoolwork while in custody.Article continues below this ad“He asked to get his homework so he didn’t fall behind,” Lamont said, adding that Rihan had been working on assignments, including biology and visual arts, while detained.Rihan is one of a handful of Connecticut students taken into ICE custody in recent high-profile incidents, part of a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. A Southern Connecticut State University student was also detained three days before his arrest. Last year, a Maloney High School student from Meriden was also detained for an extended period.“We are tired of fighting to bring high schoolers home,” said Andrea Sanchez, of CT Students for a Dream. “We are tired of knowing that there will be a next one.”She said Rihan's situation showed the importance of communities coming together to support those they believe have been wrongfully taken into custody.Article continues below this ad"We believe (Rihan's) future his bright," Sanchez said. "And we believe it is our job, every single person standing here, to make sure that he gets that future, and that you become the cardiologist you want to be."Staff writers Joshua Eaton and Jesse Leavenworth contributed reporting. April 24, 2026|Updated April 24, 2026 7:37 p.m.ReporterAustin Mirmina is a reporter with CT Insider where he covers the Long Island Sound, the environment, and sustainability among other topics. He joined Hearst Connecticut Media Group in 2022 and previously worked for the Journal Inquirer covering local news.