Who is Sharereh Moghadam? ICE detains woman with green card, husband says ‘she passed exam for citizenship’

A Los Angeles business owner has described his anguish after his wife, Sharereh Moghadam, was detained by ICE after attending an in-person immigration meeting.

Published on: Sep 3, 2025, 14:09:01 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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A Studio City, Los Angeles business owner has described his anguish after his wife, Sharereh Moghadam, was detained by ICE nearly a month ago after attending an in-person immigration meeting. Hooshang Aghdassi, her husband, said that she had a green card and had expected the meeting to be a step closer to citizenship, according to NBC San Diego. Instead, Moghadam was sent to a detention center in Phoenix, Arizona.

"She had green card and passed exam for citizenship and was waiting for the ceremony," said Aghdassi. “She is not a bank robber or thief or criminal."

Who is Sharereh Moghadam?

Aghdassi said Moghadam was born in Iran and entered the country legally with her documents in order. He believes she was detained over a recent trip to Iran. ICE has dismissed Aghdassi's claims that Moghadam had no criminal history.

"Reports that Sharareh Moghaddam has no criminal history are completely FALSE and are only being used to try garner support for a thief. Sharareh Moghaddam is neither a citizen nor a national of the United States. She is an Iranian native and citizen with a documented criminal history dating back to 2015. Moghaddam entered the United States at an unknown time and location in 2014 and obtained lawful status in 2016. Despite being granted the opportunity to remain in the country, between August 2015 and May 9, 2019, Moghaddam was convicted of two separate theft offenses, demonstrating a clear disregard for U.S. laws and rendering her subject to removal under U.S. immigration law," an ICE spokesperson said in a statement to NBC4.

Moghadam and her husband together run a balloon shop along Laurel Canyon. Several customers of the shop have been signing a petition urging lawmakers to intervene before Moghadam's next hearing.

Aghdassi said he is hoping to be reunited with his wife. "Years ago, for us, the dream was the U.S. is a land of opportunity and freedom, and it was, but right now you can see everything changed. You don't feel secure anymore," he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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