“He was fleeing Syria,” said Jonathan Hafetz, an ACLU lawyer, who said the man, identified as “John Doe” in court, was apprehended while trying to leave Syria.
Mr. Hafetz told Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, an Obama appointee, that the U.S. government brought the man to Iraq, so they should release him there to ensure he can reach a consulate and obtain a passport.
The ACLU rejects the government’s proposal to return the man to Syria with documents identifying his dual citizenship, saying there are no consular services in Syria and he would be put back in the situation he was trying to flee.
“It’s a death trap,” Mr. Hafetz said. “It is an insane proposal.” Read More.
