Libyan man in Minnesota for medical therapy for uncommon pores and skin situation is detained by ICE brokers

Hani Duglof and his brother Mohamad Duklef arrived in Minnesota on the lookout for assist in 2014. They’d left Libya, unable to seek out reduction for a uncommon situation that threatens to go away their pores and skin torn and blistered at even the slightest provocation. 

After spending greater than a decade learning, working and collaborating in scientific trials, Duglof discovered himself detained by ICE, unable to entry the sort of meals and care he wants. 

The brothers say that it occurred on Jan. 10 of this 12 months. Duglof was driving in Wisconsin when he mentioned that two ICE autos pulled him over. Duklef was on the cellphone with him, anticipating a name again quickly, assuming he had been pulled over for some sort of driving infraction. 

As an alternative, Duglof discovered himself being taken to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Constructing in Fort Snelling. He mentioned that he was confused when ICE brokers mentioned that he now not had authorized standing, provided that he had been within the asylum course of for the higher a part of a decade after first getting into the nation on a customer visa. 

“Since they handcuffed me, I felt like (I used to be) being handled like a prison,” Duglof mentioned. “They tried to take my fingerprints, however due to my situation, I haven’t got fingerprints.” 

Duglof and his brother have Epidermolysis Bullosa, or EB. Their pores and skin is extraordinarily fragile, inflicting it to tear simply. The situation additionally impacts the esophagus, which means Duglof can solely eat gentle meals. He mentioned that the cramped concrete rooms of the Whipple constructing instantly triggered his pores and skin to blister. 

Medical paperwork he says got here from M Well being Fairview Southdale’s emergency division present that officers on the Whipple finally believed he wanted extra care, taking him to the hospital after Duglof mentioned he was on the Whipple constructing for about 13 hours. Docs within the paperwork appear to notice that Duglof was not in want of emergency medical consideration, however recorded the truth that the brokers who introduced him to the hospital had been involved that they might not present meals that he may really eat. 

Duglof quickly discovered himself again on the Whipple constructing regardless. He mentioned that, at one level, he was positioned in a room with standing water within the nook. Typically, he mentioned, his pleas for gentle meals had been ignored. 

“‘I am sorry, this is not a five-star lodge,'” Duglof mentioned one official informed him. 

Duklef mentioned he had been working from the get-go with Duglof’s lawyer, the identical lawyer who had been engaged on his asylum case for years, to get him launched. He was freed on bond on Jan. 15, with a court docket case pending in February associated to his asylum case. Duklef mentioned that he usually hears, or late, that individuals need immigrants to come back in the suitable approach; he mentioned his brother was doing simply that. 

“Hani adopted each single course of legally,” Duklef mentioned. 

Duglof works as an IT specialist after learning at Saint Paul Faculty, and was featured in class promotional materials on a billboard and different commercials. He mentioned he is nervous about returning to Libya, first making use of for asylum after the nation descended into civil conflict. 

Duglof is likely one of the reported 2,500 individuals ICE mentioned the company has detained for the reason that begin of Operation Metro Surge in early December. The Division of Homeland Safety and its management have repeatedly said that the operation is concentrating on criminals who’re within the nation illegally. Whereas the company has listed dozens of names of individuals convicted of previous crimes, tons of of persons are not publicly listed, nor are their alleged offenses.