An Ann Arbor family expressed gratitude to all those who supported them after Yousef Ajin was released by U.S. Immigration and Customs on Wednesday.
Ajin was released in Battle Creek this morning after being in custody at the Calhoun County Jail since his arrest on Jan. 30.
An immigration judge granted a waiver to Ajin on Tuesday to allow him to remain in the country. Judge David Paruch cited severe hardship as one factor in making his decision. Ajin, a father of four, has a son who is disabled and requires 24 hour care.
Ajin came to the U.S. in 1999 from Jordan. He was born in Kuwait. He has permanent legal status here and a Green Card but is not a U.S. citizen. A deportation order for the Ajin was set aside by the government in 2012 but his criminal record prompted a second look at his case recently by ICE officials.
Ajin was convicted for two theft incidents, the first in 2001. He did not successfully complete his initial probation before committing a second crime and that led to the deportation order.
