Los Angeles Shop Owner Rallies Community After Wife Detained by ICE

A Los Angeles shop owner is pleading for his wife’s release after she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sparking an outpouring of community support in Studio City.

Houshang, who co-owns a balloon shop with his wife, says he has not seen her in nearly a month. His wife, Sharare, was born in Iran and entered the United States legally with the proper documents. He believes her recent two-month trip to Iran may have triggered scrutiny from immigration officials.

According to Houshang, his wife was summoned for what was supposed to be a routine in-person meeting with immigration authorities, but instead was taken into custody and transferred to a facility in Phoenix, Arizona. “She’s not a bank robber or thief or criminal. She is a very decent woman,” he said.

Community members have been rallying to support the couple, signing petitions at the shop and urging lawmakers to intervene before Sharare’s next immigration hearing. Houshang says he is holding onto hope that he will soon be reunited with his wife, even as he reflects on how their dream of living in America has been shaken. “Years ago, our dream was the U.S. is a land of opportunity and freedom. And it was. But right now, you could see everything change. You don’t feel secure anymore,” he said.

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