Congressmen have reached out to help a Lakeview family after their Iranian-born wife and mother was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mandonna Kashanian, 64, was detained early Sunday morning from her home in three unmarked cars, leaving her family stunned.
Her longtime neighbor, Sarah Gerig, described Kashanian as “another mom to me and another grandmom to our children.” The incident sparked a small protest on Poydras Street, with local communities growing increasingly concerned about ICE operations straining the region’s legal system.
Kashanian has been held in four detention facilities and is currently being held at a federal facility in Basile, Louisiana. Her family is trying to find her legal representation after learning she entered the US legally in 1978 but overstayed her visa.
“I applied for asylum multiple times,” said Kashanian’s American-born daughter, Kaitlynn Milne. “Her only option was to get that stay of deportation so she could be with her family.”
Local officials, including New Orleans City Councilmember Joe Giarrusso, have also spoken out against the detention. Representative Troy Carter (D-La) has called for Homeland Security to discontinue this practice of secretly grabbing people without notice.
The family is collecting letters vouching for Kashanian’s character in hopes of securing a hearing that could allow her to remain in the US.
Source: https://www.fox8live.com/2025/06/27/congressmen-reach-out-family-lakeview-woman-detained-by-ice