In April, 18-year-old Rihan was mistakenly detained by U.S. Immigation and Customs Enforcement. The teen, who lives in Cheshire, Connecticut, spent two weeks in a detention facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Today, Rihan is back home and just graduated from Cheshire High. 

But with his legal status in limbo what's next for a young man with a dream to attend college and an uncertain future in the U.S.?

"They have taken everything of mine," Rihan said. "My legal status and everything like that. I don't have anything now to move forward in the future."

This hour, we talk with Rihan and his father, Zia. We're using their first names only for their safety and the safety of their family in Afghanistan. We'll also speak with their immigration attorney about the tenuous road ahead for a family whose legal status hangs in the balance.

GUESTS:


Rihan: Cheshire teen detained for two weeks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April, 2026.


Zia: Rihan’s father. He served the U.S. Army as an interpreter and cultural advisor during the war in Afghanistan.


Samantha Rosenberg: Cheshire Board of Education Chair


Lauren C. Petersen: Private practice immigration attorney in New Haven, currently representing Rihan and his family. She’s Founder and Executive Director of Pavillion Immigrant Assistance in Hartford, and she’s also a co-managing attorney for the American Immigrant Legal Clinic in New Haven.

Connecticut Public's Patrick Skahill contributed to this episode. Special thanks also to Rihan's uncle Tariq, and family advocate, Dick Harvey.

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

In April, 18-year-old Rihan was mistakenly detained by U.S. Immigation and Customs Enforcement. The teen, who lives in Cheshire, Connecticut, spent two weeks in a detention facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Today, Rihan is back home and just graduated from Cheshire High.&nbsp;
But with his legal status in limbo what's next for a young man with a dream to attend college and an uncertain future in the U.S.?
"They have taken everything of mine," Rihan said. "My legal status and everything like that. I don't have anything now to move forward in the future."
This hour, we talk with Rihan and his father, Zia. We're using their first names only for their safety and the safety of their family in Afghanistan. We'll also speak with their immigration attorney about the tenuous road ahead for a family whose legal status hangs in the balance.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Rihan: Cheshire teen detained for two weeks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April, 2026.
</li>
<li>
Zia: Rihan&rsquo;s father. He served the U.S. Army as an interpreter and cultural advisor during the war in Afghanistan.
</li>
<li>
Samantha Rosenberg: Cheshire Board of Education Chair
</li>
<li>
Lauren C. Petersen: <a href="https://lcpimmigration.com/">Private practice immigration attorney</a> in New Haven, currently representing Rihan and his family. She&rsquo;s Founder and Executive Director of <a href="https://pavilionct.org/who-we-are">Pavillion Immigrant Assistance</a> in Hartford, and she&rsquo;s also a co-managing attorney for the <a href="https://cirict.org/immigration-legal-services/">American Immigrant Legal Clinic</a> in New Haven.
</li>
</ul>
Connecticut Public's Patrick Skahill contributed to this episode. Special thanks also to Rihan's uncle Tariq, and family advocate, Dick Harvey. Where We Live is available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-we-live/id706066099">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0j08SgnZIU5BmjDyHbgjgP">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/43f3a507-ebfa-4876-b34a-030759a8924c/where-we-live">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/Where-We-Live-p1207905/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/where-we-live-connecticut-public-radio-lz9NAwSEexh/">Listen Notes,</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.