US immigration authorities detained Kashmiri filmmaker Arfat Sheikh shortly after he landed at a Virgina airport, an advocacy campaign said.
"On September 24th, 2026, our friend and filmmaker, Arfat Sheikh was unlawfully detained by ICE coming off a plane at Dulles Airport (IAD)," the Support Arfat Sheikh's Release campaign said.
The 42-year-old artist, who resides in Alexandria, Virginia, arrived in the US on a student visa to pursue graduate studies in film at the Georgia State University and sought asylum in 2020, his friend Azad Essa said on social media.
Essa maintained that Sheikh holds active work and residency authorization under a pending immigration application.
Sheikh is being held in the Caroline Detention Center in Bowling Green, Virginia, said Essa.
Sheikh is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge Tuesday for a procedural hearing alongside a bond assessment, British news outlet The Independent reported.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security have not issued an official comment regarding the detention.
Sheikh gained international recognition for his debut feature film, Saffron Kingdom, which screened in more than 100 theaters and was streamed in 175 countries.
The production received honors including Best Feature Film at the Anatolian International Film Awards, Chicago Filmmakers Award, and Los Angeles Film and Documentary Awards, as well as an Emerging Filmmaker distinction at the Teaneck International Film Festival.
