ICE Takes Kurdish Asylum Seeker The Day Before His Wife Became A US Citizen 'I Cannot Do This Alone'

Eva Gurtovaia celebrated her U. S. citizenship on Wednesday, but her husband, Enes Abak, remained in detention after immigration agents arrested him a day prior. Abak, a Kurdish asylum seeker, was taken from their home in Uptown, Chicago, while Gurtovaia received a warm welcome from neighbors and local officials. The couple had diligently adhered to all legal requirements regarding Abak's pending asylum case, and he had no criminal history in the U.

S. Gurtovaia detailed Abak's experiences of persecution in Turkey, where he faced threats from authorities due to his ethnicity. Human rights organizations have condemned the treatment of Kurdish individuals in Turkey, where many have faced unjust imprisonment. Gurtovaia expressed confusion over the rationale for Abak's detention, especially given his application for asylum. Local advocates are rallying support for Abak, emphasizing the urgent need for his release.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to inquiries regarding his case.