INS drops Syrian USF grad’s case

Almost two months after USF graduate Abdullah Hatahet was detained and faced deportation back to Syria, his case has been dropped.

Hatahet, 22, missed the Immigration and Naturalization Service deadline on Dec. 16 because he was up the night before working on a project. He was detained for four days and told by INS officials that he could be deported. His lawyer asked the INS officials to reinstate Hatahet’s student status but was denied last month.

After nationwide problems with the new registration rules, the Justice Department announced last month that men from about 20 mostly Arab and Muslim countries who had missed previous deadlines would get another chance between Jan. 27 and Feb. 7.

Compiled by Stefanie Green