Vardan Ghukasyan is under arrest in the US: the reason is known
The founding chairman of the DOK party, Vardan Ghukasyan, has been arrested by US Customs and Immigration officers and is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada. He faces deportation. Alathea Smoak, the director of communications for the Northwest Region of the US Customs and Immigration Service, said this in response to an inquiry by Armenpress .
According to US Customs and Immigration Service, 47-year-old Ghukasyan entered the United States on February 19, 2022, but did not leave the country within the time period specified in the entry conditions, as a result of which he was subject to immigration proceedings.
“Vardan Yuriki Ghukasyan, 47, a citizen of Armenia, is in the custody of U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (ICE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was arrested by U.S. Customs and Immigration Services officers on February 20 and taken into custody as part of immigration proceedings. Ghukasyan entered the United States on February 19, 2022, but did not leave the country within the time period specified in the conditions of entry,” said Alathea Smoak, director of communications for the Northwest Region of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to ICE’s response, aliens accused of immigration violations enjoy a number of procedural safeguards, including the right to counsel, the opportunity to challenge deportation charges, present evidence, or examine evidence. “Although the government does not provide counsel, detainees have access to a list of legal services provided by the Department of Justice and the American Bar Association’s legal programs. Federal immigration judges, operating within the Department of Justice’s Executive Office of Immigration Enforcement (EOIR), conduct court proceedings, ensuring due process. ICE officers, in turn, enforce deportation orders issued by federal immigration judges. Detention facilities provide access to a law library for at least five hours per week, as well as daily meetings with attorneys on a scheduled basis. Detainees also have access to free video calls or pay-per-view calls through special platforms. "In the event of violations of migration rules, US legislation provides for administrative and judicial resolution of the issue, and in some cases, deportation proceedings," the response states.
Earlier, the DOK party issued a statement stating that Vardan Ghukasyan was under surveillance, but the party insisted that he was not arrested.
