ERO Miami removes Bangladesh national for supporting foreign terror organization

MIAMI, Fla. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami deportation officers removed a Bangladeshi national convicted of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization by facilitating others to travel overseas to fight for ISIS.

On Nov. 18, 2020, the FBI in Philadelphia arrested Nabila Khan for conspiracy to provide material support of resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, in 2015, Shahidul Gaffar, 40, and Khan, a married couple originally from Bangladesh, provided and attempted to financially support two of Khan’s brothers who traveled to Syria to join ISIS fighters. Gaffar and Khan discussed the brothers’ travel plans in detail with each other, as well as with the brothers and other family members, as early as September 2014. In January 2015, Khan asked her sister living in Bangladesh to sell some of Khan’s gold and provide the money to their oldest brother, J.K., to assist him in travelling to Syria. Khan then flew to Bangladesh to wish J.K. farewell before his departure in February 2015. Gaffar, who remained in Pennsylvania, sent supportive messages to Khan’s mother, stating: “Be [p]roud mother for the noble cause and for the sake of Allah!!!”

On Sept. 9, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia convicted Khan of conspiracy to provide material support of resources to a foreign terrorist organization and sentenced her to 24 months of confinement.

Khan, 37, was escorted by ERO Miami deportation officers to Bangladesh on Jan. 22.

“This noncitizen physically and financially supported a known terrorist regime to support violence and terrorism,” said ERO Miami Field Office Director Garrett Ripa. “I’m extremely proud our team’s commitment to protecting the safety of the American people and to their dedication to our nation’s security through the seamless removals of these threats.”

ERO Miami arrested Kahn on March 16, 2023, following her release from Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee, and transferred her to the Baker County Detention Center in Macclenny, Florida, while awaiting immigration proceedings.

On Aug. 10, 2023, an immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) in Orlando, Fla., ordered Kahn removed from the United States to Bangladesh.

During FY 2023, ERO conducted 1,178 removal flights, removing over 142,000 noncitizens to more than 170 countries, including 69,902 who had charges or convictions for criminal activity; 3,406 known or suspected gang members; 139 known or suspected terrorists; and six human rights violators. Among those removed, 108 were foreign fugitives wanted by their governments for crimes including homicide, rape, kidnapping, drug trafficking, assault, and sex offenses.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on Twitter @EROMiami.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)