DALLAS (WBAP & KLIF News) — A wheelchair-bound Iraqi man who worked for the U.S Army was detained at DFW Airport Monday afternoon, but was released Tuesday morning.
Labeeb Ibrahim Issa was detained around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, prompting an attorney for his friend to file a Writ of Habeas Corpus to expedite his release. In the document, it states the friend, along with another passenger on Issa’s flight, feared for Issa’s health while being detained. It states he was being held against his will despite having a Special Immigrant Visa, which according to the document is proof he posed no threat to the United States.
The document also states he has no criminal history and mentions Issa’s work with the U.S Army multiple times, saying he was a driver and also performed general maintenance. It says he was badly injured in a car accident in Iraq and was targeted because of his work with the U.S Army, leading him to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa.
“This was a serious situation with a gentleman who needed medication, who had a pelvic fracture that we understand occurred with some sort of improvised explosive device in Iraq that he was a victim of,” said attorney Chris Hamilton, who is one of the lead counsel of the volunteer legal team at DFW Airport.
Issa was released early Tuesday morning after roughly 15 hours of confinement.
“He’s just thrilled to be here in the United States, a country that he loves,” Hamilton said. “We are going to continue to evaluate the next steps on an hour by hour basis.”
To hear the full interview between WBAP’s Scott Sidway and attorney Chris Hamilton, click the media player below.