Help Free Kamil and Nikita from ICE Detention

Story

The Day that Threatened Two Young Men’s Dreams of a Better Life Away From the Terrors of War Kamil Aliev and Nikita Deev grew up an ocean away, but they met in Massachusetts chasing the same dream: a life where hard work and kindness matter more than political turmoil. They left Russia and landed in Boston as international students and learned English side-by-side. When the war started, their political views, past actions, and anti-war posts marked them for persecution. The echo of imminent targeting and oppression upon return to Russia reached them here. Going back meant incarceration or forced mobilization to Russia’s war in Ukraine. They both applied for political asylum in the US. While their asylum applications wound their way through the backlogged system, they built quiet, respectable lives: working honest jobs that paid the bills, volunteering during the weekends, and building meaningful friendships with those in their new communities. They waited for their “Pending Asylum Interview” notices to turn into approvals. They dared to plan their futures here. May 30, 2025 — Hanscom Air Force Base It was supposed to be an ordinary moving job. Kamil and Nikita, now fully licensed with valid Massachusetts IDs and work permits, were hired to move a veteran client from the military base. They had entered military base gates before with no problems and no questions. But that morning, ICE officers appeared out of nowhere. The agents weren’t interested in cargo lists or delivery paperwork; they were holding chains and handcuffs along with arrest warrants promptly prepared right on site. They claimed that back in 2022, before Kamil and Nikita filed for asylum, both of their F-1 student statuses had technically lapsed. Despite their pending asylum cases and currently valid status, ICE used this as probable cause for detention. Both Kamil and Nikita had previously addressed their status the only lawful way possible: by applying for protection. Under US law, that should have stopped any deportation. Yet in under ten minutes, chains replaced handshakes. Two terrified men were driven away without a chance to call their close ones, a lawyer present, or even time to leave a message with their coworkers who witnessed the incident on what to do to assist them. In the warrants and notices to appear served to both men, ICE scheduled removal hearings blatantly ignoring their pending asylum status. Yet, while in this status, by law, they CANNOT be deported. Life in a Concrete Cell Today, Kamil and Nikita share an overcrowded ICE holding room in Burlington, MA. There are more detainees than beds, so Kamil sleeps on a thin foil cover on the floor; Nikita folds his hoodie as a pillow. Lights never dim. Showers are rationed. ICE officers have denied our attempts to pass a spare inhaler to Kamil in case the one he had on him at the time of detention ran out. They get three minutes of phone time a day — just long enough to say “I’m okay,” and never long enough to hear their loved ones to stop crying on the other end. ICE plans to ship them to a distant detention center any day. If that happens, they will fight their July 7 court hearing over a video feed while shackled to a bench hundreds of miles away. Their chances plummet if they can’t stand before the Chelmsford judge with a Massachusetts attorney at their side. By law, they cannot be deported as they both have pending asylum cases. And we are sure that with legal representation, they will win their hearings and come out with the removal requests overturned. We’re working to gather the resources to retain legal representation for Kamil and Nikita — lawyers who can argue for their release on bail, prepare for their court hearings, and help them return to their quiet, honest lives as they await their asylum interviews. What It Will Take to Bring Them Home Bail Bond & Urgent Bills. First, we have to get legal support in order to motion and push for bail, and we have to do it quickly. (a) Bail Bond per Person: $2,500 - $9,000 | This will give them freedom while fighting in court. (b) Lawyer's Bond Motion per Person: $3,000 - $5,500 | This will persuade the judge to grant bail. (c) Urgent personal bills (rent, car payments): $4,000 - $5,000 | This will prevent them from losing everything while they are locked up. Once released, Kamil and Nikita will need legal support to fight in court and defend their asylum cases. However, our priority right now is to set them free from the inhumane conditions of their unnecessary detention. Why Your Gift Means Everything Both Kamil and Nikita dream of continuing their lives as complete useful members of our society in the US. They invested a lot of work into their future in this country, and in the past few years, they have demonstrated that they are willing and able to contribute to our society and communities. Their efforts and dreams are at risk and will not survive if served deportation orders. In their home country, they would face imprisonment and violence for daring to speak freely. Here, with our help, they still have a chance to build, give back, and belong. Every dollar you give contributes to time in the fresh air, a real bed, a fair day in court. It’s hope delivered straight through steel bars. Ways to Help Right Now Donate what you can. Even $5 buys minutes of phone calls so they can hear a friendly voice. Share their story. Post this campaign, email it, talk about it. Awareness is protection. Write your representatives. Ask them to ensure ICE keeps Kamil and Nikita in Massachusetts for their hearing and to review their cases. Send a note of support. We’ll print your messages and make sure the men receive them because dignity is as vital as dollars. Thank You When the guard calls “phone time,” Kamil and Nikita race to dial home and ask, “did anyone believe in us today?” With your help, the answer can be “Yes, thousands.” Let’s bring them back to the sunlight they risked everything to find.