Canadian Refugee Applicant in ICE Custody Says He Crossed Border Accidentally
Mahin Shahriar never planned to become a statistic in America's immigration system. The Bangladeshi-Canadian refugee applicant now sits in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Buffalo, New York, insisting he stumbled across the border completely by mistake. "I never meant to enter the United States," Shahriar told The Canadian Press, recounting his confusing journey on May 12 that ended with him in ICE custody.
What began as a near-miss at the Canadian border turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. Shahriar, who had been seeking refugee status in Canada, claims he simply got lost near the crossing point and accidentally stepped into U.S. territory. Now, months later, he finds himself trapped between two countries - unable to return to Canada, which refuses to take him back, and facing an uncertain future in American detention.
"I was trying to get back to Canada after visiting family," he explained, his voice strained with frustration. "One wrong step, and everything changed."
The 28-year-old's case highlights the human cost of complex border systems and the unintended consequences of immigration policies. His detention underscores the precarious position of individuals caught in administrative limbo - neither fully accepted in their current country nor able to return to their previous one.
Canadian immigration officials, however, maintain Shahriar is their responsibility. "He remains subject to Canadian law," stated a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, leaving Shahriar in a legal vacuum where neither country seems to hold clear jurisdiction.
As Shahriar awaits resolution, his story serves as a stark reminder of how easily lives can be upended by border crossings - intentional or not. His case has drawn attention to the need for clearer protocols handling accidental border incursions and the human impact of immigration enforcement decisions.
For now, Shahriar sits in detention, hoping someone will recognize his simple mistake and bring his unintended American chapter to a close.