A file photo of Cheshire High School at 525 South Main St. in Aug. 2023. A federal judge found that immigration authorities arrested a Cheshire High School senior based on a paperwork error.Hearst Connecticut Media file photoHARTFORD — A federal judge found that immigration authorities arrested a Cheshire High School senior based on a paperwork error.Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Rihan, an immigrant from Afghanistan, on April 6 as he was driving with his uncle about half a mile from the family's home. Rihan, whose last name is being withheld at the request of his attorneys, arrived in the U.S. with his family in October 2024 and was granted humanitarian parole that expired in October 2026, according to court records.Article continues below this adWhen he gave the agents his name and date of birth, however, they "erroneously claimed that his parole had expired in October 2025," U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver wrote in a memorandum and order dated Saturday. An online form mistakenly showed a one-year parole period at the time of Rihan's detention, the judge wrote. The form was corrected, but his parole status was revoked anyway, Oliver wrote.Government leaders, including Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, have rallied around Rihan, saying his detention is wrong and "un-American."The 19-year-old, who is due to graduate in June, has been held since April 6 at a county jail in Plymouth, Mass.CT Insider LogoMake CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.Add Preferred Source"This family did everything right," Rihan's attorney, Lauren Petersen, said at a press conference Friday. "It's the government that's not following its own rules."Article continues below this adPetersen didn't immediately respond to request for comment on Sunday.After ICE agents took Rihan into custody, Oliver issued an order to stop the agency from taking him out of Connecticut and the U.S. The judge wrote, however, that he was unaware at the time that Rihan already had been taken to Massachusetts. After learning of the transfer, Oliver wrote, the court issued another order precluding immigration officials from removing him more than 150 miles from the Connecticut border while mulling whether the District of Connecticut has jurisdiction in the case.Oliver wrote that that the District of Massachusetts has jurisdiction now because Rihan was being confined in that state when his lawyers filed a petition for his release.It's the second time in less than a year ICE agents have arrested a member of Rihan's family. Six masked ICE agents arrested his father, Zia, last July during a routine visit to a federal immigration office in East Hartford. Zia had worked as an interpreter for U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan, and his case quickly became national news, with Blumenthal in particular championing his cause.Article continues below this adICE released Zia in October after a federal district judge ordered that he be granted a bond hearing and an immigration judge determined he was not a flight risk and did not pose a danger to the community.Attorneys for Rihan and Zia asked that they only be referred to by their first names, citing concerns for their safety and the safety of their relatives who are still in Afghanistan.The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Friday afternoon to CT Insider that Rihan was arrested on federal immigration violations, issued a notice to appear before a judge and will remain in ICE custody pending proceedings, noting he will receive full due process. DHS did not specifically name the violations.“Biden-era parole programs let in 190,000 Afghan nationals with a vetting process that was demonstrably inadequate," DHS said in a statement to CT Insider. "No overseas criminal background checks were performed, social media accounts were not screened, and there was no systematic cross-referencing of information.Article continues below this ad"In many cases," the agency said, "entry was granted on the basis of a single recommendation. Under Secretary (Markwayne) 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." Rihan applied for legal permanent residency — commonly called a “green card” — in June.Includes previous reporting by Joshua Eaton.Article continues below this adApril 12, 2026ReporterJesse Leavenworth is a reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. He is a New Britain native living in Hebron, U.S. Army veteran (1979-83) and married (Lynn) father of three (Kerry, Kate and John). Jesse worked as a reporter and editor for about 35 years for The Hartford Courant, covering all kinds of stories across the state. Jesse is especially interested in Connecticut history, crime, veterans affairs and news of the weird.