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Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise successfully advocated for the release of Mandonna “Donna” Kashanian, a 64-year-old Iranian woman who had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while gardening at her New Orleans home on June 22. Ms. Kashanian has lived in the United States for 47 years and is married to Russell Milne, a U.S. citizen, with whom she has a daughter, Kaitlynn Milne, also a U.S. citizen.
Despite having been allowed to remain in the country under the condition that she regularly check in with immigration authorities — which she had faithfully done according to her attorney and family — Ms. Kashanian was detained by ICE officers. The arrest sparked significant community support, with more than 100 neighbors writing letters of support that were shared with the Trump administration.
Rep. Scalise, who represents Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District where Ms. Kashanian lives, worked directly with her family and the Department of Homeland Security to secure her release. He told NBC affiliate WDSU that his office questioned whether ICE was looking at the case objectively and advocated for a second review. The majority leader emphasized that Ms. Kashanian should be judged on “her life’s work” and noted her contributions as a community member.
Ms. Kashanian’s attorney, Ken Mayeaux, described Scalise’s involvement as “absolutely crucial” to getting her released from detention while she awaits a second asylum hearing.
Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, a Republican representing the Kashanian family’s community, praised Ms. Kashanian as a “devoted mother and wife, a caretaker, neighbor and dedicated volunteer” with organizations including Habitat for Humanity and local school districts.
However, the Department of Homeland Security maintains its position on the case. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated that “the facts of this case have not changed” and emphasized that “Mandonna Kashanian is in this country illegally” and has “exhausted all her legal options.”
Ms. Kashanian’s immigration history dates back to 1978 when she first arrived in the U.S. through New York on a visa and applied for asylum status, which was denied. She failed to depart after the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld a deportation order in 1992. ICE’s New Orleans office announced her arrest on social media, stating she was ordered by a judge to depart the U.S. and didn’t comply.
The detention occurred amid broader ICE operations targeting Iranian nationals, with 130 arrested and 670 in ICE detention, following escalated tensions between Israel and Iran and recent U.S. military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Read more: Iranian woman released from ICE detention after Scalise steps in
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