My husband, Shahrokh, proposed in early 2009. We met two years earlier at Sarita’s Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio the place he was working as a server.Throughout one in every of my visits to the restaurant, I used to be studying a e-book in preparation for a visit I used to be taking to Washington, D.C., and we spoke for the primary time when he requested me about Washington and why I used to be going.
After chatting for some time, he requested for my cellphone quantity in order that he may take me on a date. I requested him for his quantity as an alternative, telling him I might name after I returned. I saved my phrase, and we started courting shortly after.
We have been married on Oct. 20, 2009, on the magistrate with household, mates and a few co-workers current. I wore an off-white skirt go well with, and he wore a brown costume shirt and pants. I had corsages ordered for the event as an alternative of a bouquet.
After the ceremony, we went for lunch at a French restaurant and ate cake. It was one of many happiest days of my life. Our love story looks like a fairy story.
However our fortunately ever after got here below assault on June 22, 2025, when my husband was taken from our house. Officers with the Division of Homeland Safety got here to the home, positioned Shahrokh in handcuffs, and arrested him in entrance of our 12-year-old daughter and our neighbors. Since then, he has been incarcerated in three totally different immigration detention amenities.
A dreamer, Shahrokh had visions of proudly owning his personal little restaurant. We bought a small taco store in San Antonio. It was a troublesome and draining expertise, however he cherished it. Typically working lengthy hours, we spent each free second we may collectively.
We constructed a life. Like every couple, we confronted many challenges, particularly these surrounding Shahrokh’s immigration standing, as he had entered the U.S. in 2003 with out inspection.
We mentioned marriage, and he let me know he was very scared to make the dedication on account of his standing. He felt he was a burden, residing in fixed concern of being taken away and didn’t need to weigh me down. He was consistently scared of individuals turning him into immigration and sending him again to Iran.
Then, in 2010, an immigration decide granted Shahrokh a type of immigration reduction known as “withholding of elimination,” which signifies that the federal government couldn’t deport him to Iran as a result of he has established that he’s extra probably than to not be persecuted or tortured there. As a substitute, he was launched with an order of supervision.
For the previous 15 years, Shahrokh has lived freely in america and has complied with each situation of his launch, diligently attending his common check-ins. Little did we all know his worst fears would nonetheless develop into actuality, when authorities officers got here to our home and arrested him regardless of his stellar report.
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I’ve recognized Shahrokh for 18 years now, and I’m devastated by his detention. Our daughter and I miss my husband dearly, and she or he’s consistently telling me she desires her dad.
Over the past yr, many lives have been diminished to headlines, phrases like “authorized” and “unlawful,” and different baseless statistics which gas disinformation and don’t seize the humanity of these concerned. However for these of us whose lives are at stake, our family members can’t be diminished.
Shahrokh is a loyal and loving father to our daughter, all the time placing her wants first. He has learn numerous bedtime tales, helps with homework, and he’s there for her at each and any second. He works arduous to present her something she desires. The love they share is gorgeous. Even in detention, he calls her each morning earlier than she leaves for varsity, understanding her day will likely be ruined if she doesn’t hear from him.
Photograph Courtesy Of Brandi Rahimi
Ever since Shahrokh was taken, she’s been a shadow of her former self. She had a panic assault that day. As soon as, shortly after it occurred, she jumped almost a foot within the air when somebody knocked on our door. She has grown more and more paranoid and has requested me to get a digicam for the door and a doorbell. She desires me to sleep together with her at evening. She has mentioned that she now not feels secure in her own residence.
For me, having to all of a sudden elevate our daughter alone has been devastating. I really feel utterly overwhelmed. I’m attempting to take it a day at a time and generally hour by hour, however I’m mentally and bodily exhausted. I’m experiencing signs of melancholy and sleeplessness.
Some days I’ve to have my daughter with me whereas I work, whereas additionally attempting to juggle lawyer calls, schedule medical doctors’ appointments and pay payments. I don’t have as a lot time to emotionally assist my daughter as I deal with the enterprise of a family.
Our daughter is a shiny woman who desires to develop into an aeronautical engineer for NASA. She is a gifted scholar who has acquired straight A’s since kindergarten. It breaks my coronary heart to fret that I can’t have the funds for for the alternatives that will likely be offered to her transferring ahead. I’ve already needed to cancel her cello classes and summer season actions on account of monetary and emotional pressure. Our niece arrange a web-based fundraiser to assist us cowl prices.
With out my husband, there is no such thing as a one to help her with tasks, observe up with academics and ensure she is caught up in her courses as I handle working, and functioning as a single mom. Center college itself is already an enormous transition for a kid ― not to mention whereas attempting to deal with a lacking mum or dad.
I concern the emotional pressure of her father’s absence will impression her capability to reach this new, demanding chapter of her life. She is at present in remedy, and I hope it helps her handle these troublesome instances, however, actually, there is no such thing as a true remedy for the grief borne from the taking of 1’s father.
Even with all that my daughter and I’ve skilled, we’re nonetheless dedicated to Shahrokh. Although exhausted, we lean on each other. My husband’s non secular instruction has been a compass for us by these instances. As a household, Shahrokh has guided us by household prayer regularly, and every day devotionals to maintain us near God and one another.
Photograph Courtesy Of Brandi Rahimi
The Saturday earlier than Shahrokh was taken, he mowed three neighbors’ yards without cost. He’s all the time feeding veterans and army personnel. For a number of months, he volunteered for the mentor program at our daughter’s college to be a caring function mannequin to 2 younger kids. If somebody is in want, he’s all the time the primary to assist, and in his time of want we’re doing our greatest to assist him, as he faces his personal psychological struggles on account of being away from us.
We go to and name him as a lot as potential. We attend each courtroom listening to and continuing. There’s by no means a second once we’re not pondering of him or a technique to deliver him house to us.
It’s arduous to deal with work or life whereas lacking my husband. I usually suppose again to the early days of our relationship, when he would have flowers delivered to my office weekly. He all the time made time to bathe me in his love irrespective of the difficulties we confronted, and the recollections of his devotion have been a supply of power for me. Shahrokh and I like being collectively. He’s my greatest buddy.
It’s this facet that media protection infrequently sees or highlights. The heartbreak and the perseverance behind the abstractions of this political second, the actual folks harmed by these insurance policies. However irrespective of what number of refuse to see us as legitimate human beings, irrespective of how nice the despair might develop into at instances, we proceed to prioritize love. We stay disciplined in our observe of affection for each other.
Shahrokh is an efficient man, a loving husband, a loyal father and a sort human being. He’s the beating coronary heart of our household. Earlier than he was taken from us, we might eat at Sarita’s, the restaurant the place he first requested for my cellphone quantity, and discuss how totally different life can be if we had not met one another that day. I look ahead to once we can return there collectively and have a good time his freedom.
Brandi Rahimi was born and raised in San Antonio. She graduated from UTSA with a educating diploma and at present works as a preschool director. She is a mom and spouse, advocating for the discharge of her husband from ICE detention.
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